Trust and Playing with Fire (Pandora's Box)
by distantshadow44
Summary: Rei is in touch with her emotions and spiritual self, but not with her physical self. Minako is more than ok with her physical self, but not with her emotional self. Can they help each other through love? ReiMina, Shoujo-ai/Yuri, AU, some OOC, some language, some lemon.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note:** This is my first fanfiction. What started off as a small idea became a beast of a project. I hope you like it.

**Incendia** = It's a conjugation of a few different verbs in French, Italian, and Spanish or the plural of _incendium_ in Latin, but it basically has to do with fire or to burn or ignite._  
_

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

The soft sounds of a bustling city served as soothing background music in the small studio apartment in downtown Tokyo. That is, until the digital notes of a cellphone ringtone broke the monotony.

_**Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...**_

"Mmmmmhhh!," Aino Minako groaned loudly as she rolled over and began pawing at her nightstand, absently trying to find the source of the annoying sound that had woken her from her peaceful slumber. When her hand found the loud, vibrating piece of technology, she flipped it open and brought it up to her ear.

"Mmmm-ello?" Minako moaned into the phone.

"Hey, Mina-chan!," A cheerful, bubbly voice responded, "Wait…were you still sleeping!?"

"Not anymore, Usa-neechan, thanks to you," Minako groaned in response to her older twin sister's question.

"Really, Mina-chan!? It's already 12:30pm!," Usagi teased as she giggled at her younger twin sister.

"Mou, Usa-neechan!," Minako whined back at her sister as she began to fully wake up. She couldn't help but smile though. Her sister had always teased her since they were born and hasn't let up in all their 21 years together. But, by the same token, Minako never knew anyone who could rival her sister in kindness or unconditional love and knew she didn't mean any malice by it, "I thought I told you my work schedule changed so Fridays I'm on the afternoon shift. I don't have to go in until 2:00pm. Plus, I was up late last night making sure I had everything ready for tomorrow, _like you asked me to_!"

"Nyaahaha…," Usagi giggled nervously on the other line, "Well, that was actually why I was calling. Mamo-chan and I wanted to know if you'd like us to pick you up so we can carpool together?"

"Are you sure?," Minako asked with uncertainty, " I mean…I'm already sharing the hotel room with you two. I don't want to _also_ cramp your alone time on the way there and back."

"Of course! I wouldn't be offering if it wasn't ok!," Usagi said cheerfully, "I even picked up both of our outfits from the tailor this morning so you don't even have to go out of your way to do that. C'mon, it'll be fun! We'll pick you up around 1:00pm?"

Minako sighed. Once Usagi got an idea in her head, it was hard to convince her otherwise. Especially if the idea had anything to do with helping Minako, "Ok, ok," Minako conceded, "But at least let me pay for gas?"

"Sounds good!," Usagi replied. Minako could almost hear her sister jumping up and down for joy.

"Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied sincerely. A mischievous grin spread across her lips. "Wait, are you _sure_ this is a good idea? I don't want to be stranded at the hotel while you and Mamoru-kun run off and never come back for me!"

"H-Hey! That only happened once, ok! And we _did_ come back for you!," Usagi whined as she blushed and recalled the college graduation party their friend, Kaioh Michiru, graciously hosted for them at her mansion. Towards the middle of the party, Usagi and her long-time boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru, snuck away to spend some alone time together at his condo. It wasn't until Usagi's cellphone interrupted their make-out session on his couch that they remembered they had gone to the party _with Minako_ and had accidentally ditched her! Minako sure had some choice words for her older sister and her boyfriend when they drove up sheepishly to where she stood on the curb in front of the extravagant house, "Mou, Mina-chan, you're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope! Never!," Minako teased as she giggled, "But I _am_ glad that you reminded me to check everything yesterday," she said, kindly changed the subject for her sister's sake, "I tried some of it on and I think it's going to look great! But I realized I'm missing a few key things so I'll pick up the last of it today when I'm at work."

"Great!...Umm…" Usagi hesitated, "D-Do you need any…help with that? I know you have your employee discount, but it _is_ a lot of stuff you're buying. I hope you know you can always ask me. You _are_ my baby sister after all."

"By, like, one minute!," Minako said in an exasperated tone. Usagi giggled on the other line. _Mataku! Sometimes, Usa-nechan can be such a mom!_, Minako huffed to herself. The thought made Minako pause and she sighed, _But that's because she pretty much was one to me_.

"No, I've got it covered. I'm getting my paycheck tonight so that'll be enough," Minako responded sincerely, "Thanks, though. I appreciate it."

"Ok, well, like I said, all you have to do is ask," Usagi said warmly, "I have to go, my break's over. Call me when you get home from work tonight so I know you made it back safe, ok?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently, "Love you, Usa-neechan, 'bye!"

"Love you too, Mina-chan! See you tomorrow!," She heard Usagi hang up and lifted the phone away from her face to look at the small screen, 12:45pm. She closed her phone, placed it back on her nightstand, and lazily stretched her arms, _Well, I should probably get up and get ready for work._

She kicked off the covers, hopped out of bed, and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

_**Shooooo…Thuddddd!**_

The end of an arrow quivered as its head hit its target…dead center. The crowd roared with applause as a tall, stunningly beautiful, raven-haired woman bowed towards the judges and walked back towards her seat. Her hair was in a high ponytail that cascaded over a flame-red visor pulled low over her face. Her white polo shirt and white pants accented her flawless, alabaster skin. As she walked to her seat, she began disassembling her bow and placed it carefully in its custom case. She then took off her flame-red chestguard and matching leather bracer, hip quiver, and three-finger shooting glove.

"And there you have it folks! Hino Rei, the Flame Sniper, will be going home with her first national championships since going pro. To date, the 22 year old heir to and face of the Hino Sporting Enterprise empire is the youngest, undefeated, reigning individual national champion. This is also her fifth consecutive national championship win since starting her collegiate career at the age of 18 and her twelfth competition win overall since she started the sport as a junior at the age of 13, including her Olympic gold medal from a couple years ago," The announcer reported over the P.A. system, "She truly _is_ the pride of Japan in women's archery!"

Rei was busy carefully packing up her belongings and shaking hands with her opponents as a swarm of reporters began surrounding her for pictures and interviews. She removed her visor to reveal rare, amethyst eyes hidden underneath. They were intense and showed an air of authority that no one would dare challenge. Pulling her hair tie out to allow her dark mane to cascade down her shoulders and back freely, she flicked her hair behind her shoulder with her hand and flashed her signature smirk for the cameras. She briefly answered a few questions before a tall, handsome, burly man, dressed in a sharp black suit, intervened and escorted her off the field with her security detail towards a waiting black limousine. The burly man, obviously the head of the security detail, opened the door for Rei and shut it securely once she had gotten inside and went around to the driver seat,

"You did great as usual, Hino-sama," An attractive man sitting on a reverse bench seat across from her said evenly as he nodded towards the beautiful archer. He was of medium build with long, red hair that went past his shoulders. His haunting, pale-green eyes were trained on the beautiful archer, almost analytically.

Rei nodded curtly to her coach and manager, Watanabe Hitoshi. She heard the driver door close towards the front of the car and she leaned slightly to the side to look around him towards the driver.

"Nobuo-san," She called in her usual smooth voice to her loyal chauffeur and head bodyguard, "My place, please."

Kobayashi Nobuo nodded to her through the rear view mirror and pulled the limo out towards the street as the remaining security detail kept the press and fans back from the vehicle, allowing it to leave without any obstructions.

Rei turned her head to absently stared out the window, watching the cityscape pass by as they drove towards her condo.

"Just be mindful of your release," Hitoshi continued in his usual authoritative voice, which always irritated Rei, "You're always so quick to release. Take time to breathe and be in the moment rather than rushing to let your arrows fly."

"Yes, Watanabe-san, I'll continue to work on that," Rei responded flatly to Hitoshi. Silence filled the cabin briefly until Hitoshi pulled out his cellphone and began typing a few keys.

"I'm letting your father know about your win today. I'm sure he'll be very pleased to hear of if," Hitoshi said.

Rei snapped her head towards Hitoshi, "You know better than to say unnecessary things like that to me, Watanabe-san," she hissed as she glared at him, "I'm _sure_ Papa would be happy to add another feather to his cap and push his champion 'trophy daughter' to promote the company image. He couldn't care less about anything beyond his fucking, precious company," She turned to continue watching the cityscape, "Especially me," she whispered coldly as she narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, Hino-sama. My apologies," Hitoshi nodded. Having coached and managed Rei throughout college, he was not unfamiliar with her quick temper, especially when it came to the subject of her father.

Rei took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Having been coached and managed by Hitoshi throughout college, Rei knew he was the best in the business. Professionally, she respected his coaching and expertise. However, she was not unfamiliar with his deep loyalties to his employer and the one responsible for hiring him: her horrid father, Hino Takashi. To some degree, she highly suspected that Hitoshi was hired to also spy on her for her father. This suspicion made the relationship between her and her coach hostile on her end and strained on his.

As Rei stared out the window, a vivid and painful memory played before her mind's eye.

* * *

_**Beep….Beep…Beep…**_

_The steady sound from the ECG machine filled the silence in the white hospital room. A four-year-old Rei was sitting at a table, drawing pictures using crayons. She wore a red skirt and an adorable, short-sleeved white blouse with a small, purple bow in the center of her collar. Picking up her finished drawing in both hands, she smiled and jumped out of her seat. She gently climbed up onto a hospital bed and sat cross-legged next to a woman who was lying in the bed._

_"Look, Mama, look what I drew!," Rei proudly held up her picture to the sleeping woman. The picture had two stick-figures on the left-side of the page, one taller than the other, both smiling widely. The taller one had long, blue strokes coming from the head while the shorter one had long, black strokes coming from the head, depicting hair. The taller woman had yellow, squiggly crayon lines around her body. In the center of the page was a slightly hunched stick-figure with no hair and what looked to be wrinkles on a smiling face. This figure also had a squiggly crayon line around it, only in light green. In the top-right of the page was a rudimentary airplane._

_**Beep….Beep…Beep…**_

_"See? It's Mama and me and Grandpa and we're together waiting for Papa to come back from one of his business trips. I made it just for you!," Rei explained. She took the picture and carefully slid it underneath her mother's hand, "Grandpa said that you can still hear me even while you're sleeping. I hope so."_

_**Beep….Beep…Beep…**_

_She curled up next to her mother and rested her head on the woman's stomach, "Papa promised __the hospital would make you better_ and that he'd be back soon. He said when he comes back, he's going to take a vacation and we're going to play in the park or go to the beach together with Grandpa," Rei paused and looked up at her mother's peaceful, sleeping face. She remembered when her mother was well and a radiant golden-orange hue would shine brightly around her figure. It was always so warm and inviting. Now, all Rei could make out was a soft, almost transparent, golden hue that surrounded her mother's figure, "I hope you wake up soon, I miss you."

_She snuggled closer to her mother as if trying to feel the warmth from the soft hue. Without knowing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep._

* * *

_**Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!**_

_Rei was abruptly woken up by a high-pitched, monotonous sound. Before she realized it, she was being scooped off the bed by a nurse and carried outside the hospital room, which was quickly becoming crowded with three other nurses and two doctors. The last thing her amethyst eyes saw before the door closed was her mother's body, void of any hue, convulsing when the doctors used what looked like two irons to push on her chest._

_"Mama…MAMA!," Rei screamed._

_The next few moments were a blur to the small girl. She remembered crying and screaming a lot for her mother. Her grandpa came soon after and was soothing her as he spoke to one of the doctors. Nurses rushed frantically in and out of the room._

_After what was probably twenty minutes, but what seemed like forever for the little girl, the commotion stopped. The nurses and doctors filed out of her mother's room solemnly. Rei sat in one of the waiting room chairs as her grandpa went to speak to one of the doctors, who only shook his head and bowed. She watched as her grandpa's face fell as he nodded slowly. He followed the doctor to a nurse's station and was given a desk phone to use. Rei watched as he spoke over the phone. The light green hue she associated with her grandpa was wavering slightly, as if shivering. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but as he spoke on the phone, she watched as the hue began flaring. Before her eyes, the hue began to flicker violently over his body. Rei watched in fear, unsure of what she was seeing but she felt a pain in her heart as she watched and wasn't sure why. Her grandpa slammed the phone down and took a few deep breaths, which made the hue return to its steady light green glow. When he turned around and his eyes met Rei's, his lower lip began to quiver._

_Crossing the waiting room to where the little girl sat, he sat next to her and gently cradled Rei in his arms. Rei's eyes widened at the contact, her small figure was beginning to fill with a mix of painful emotions that she couldn't name. To some extent, she understood that they weren't her own and that they belonged to her grandpa as they were tinted with his same light green hue._

_"Grandpa…wh-what happened? Is Mama ok?," Rei asked softly. She immediately felt a light green emotion strike her heart. It felt as if her small body would implode from the pain, but she tolerated it, waiting for her grandpa's reply._

_"Mama's gone, Reiko," Her grandpa replied, using the pet-name he had for her._

_"Gone?," Rei repeated as a question. Her mind went blank with shock. A shiver came over her as she suddenly felt cold and so very…alone. The only thing keeping her centered in the present moment were her senses clinging to the light green emotions that were being emitted by the elderly man, desperate for stability._

_"Yes, Reiko. She's at peace now." Her grandpa replied as he held her tighter._

_"But…," Rei's mouth began vocalizing on its own, "Papa said she would get better. He promised, he-," Rei couldn't finish. She felt the light green emotions tint with…anger? They began to ignite and flare like a flame within her. It made her jaw clench reflexively._

_"Reiko…," Her grandpa began, "You're…you're going to be staying with me for a while."_

_"I…I don't understand, Grandpa. Why? How about Papa? Is he coming too?," Rei didn't know what to make of all this information along with the unnamed emotions that were being siphoned into her small frame._

_"No," His voice became stern. Rei's eyes widened as the light green emotions began to invade her senses. She began to hear two familiar voices._

* * *

_"She's…she's gone," Rei made out the familiar voice of her grandpa. He was speaking to someone, "You have to come home. Arrangements need to be made and Reiko needs her father now."_

_"…Gone? No...impossible! They said her condition was stable when I called earlier today!," The sound of her father's voice was distant and slightly muffled as if he were speaking over the…_

_It finally dawned on Rei: She was reliving the conversation her grandpa just had over the phone._

_"She…she took a turn for the worst fairly quickly. They did all they could," Rei's grandpa replied, his voice wavered and cracked as he spoke, "She's gone, Takashi, and you need to come home…for Reiko."_

_There was a long pause on the other line._

_"Takashi?" Rei's grandpa whispered, interrupting the long silence._

_"…No," Takeshi said coldly. "No, I...I can't…I can't go back. Not now, I…I have a lot of things to take care of here...for the company. In fact, I…I have a meeting to go to right now. I'm…I'm going to be fairly busy so you might not be able to contact me for a while. I'll continue to send money for Rei's schooling and necessities, so-"_

_"Takashi!" Rei's grandpa nearly yelled, "What are you saying!? I know you're hurting, we all are! But you can't just run away like this! What about Reiko!?"_

_"…Take care of her for me…please...," Takashi replied softly, "Goodbye." _

* * *

_"Your father," Rei was snapped back to the hospital waiting room by her grandpa's words, "He…he won't be coming back for a while."_

_"…Yurusenai…" Rei's grandpa, used to hearing his granddaughter's smooth voice, was shocked to find a cold edge to it as she spoke. "He…he lied."_

_Rei's grandpa pulled away from Rei, his brow furrowed with worry. He was shocked to find his precious granddaughter radiating with a violently red hue, like flames licking the sides of her small frame. Her amethyst eyes had darkened to a deadly indigo._

_"Reiko…," Rei's grandpa whispered._

_"Work is more important to him than Mama…than me…he…he said so…yurusenai...," Rei's small hands were clenched in her lap and shaking with rage._

_Rei's grandpa's eyes widened. _He…said so? _His face became serious._

_"Reiko…," Rei's grandpa began again. He leaned his head down to meet her distant gaze, trying to draw her attention to him. His voice was level and slow, "I need to ask you something. When you look at me…do you see...anything? Any colors or-"_

_"Of course, Grandpa! I'm not stupid!," Rei interrupted angrily, her indigo eyes boring into his dark orbs, "I can see your light green color as clearly as anyone else can!"_

_Rei's grandpa knew that Rei always had quite the temper, but he ignored her insolence and pressed on._

_"Reiko, when I was holding you," He continued in his level, slow tone, "Did you feel…or hear...anything?"_

_Tears of frustration began to fall from Rei's eyes, "Yes, Grandpa! I felt your light green colors in my heart! And they hurt! They hurt so much! It felt like my heart was going to stop from the pain! I heard the whole conversation you had with Papa! About him having meetings and not being able to come home! Why are you asking me these questions!?" Nothing was making sense. All Rei wanted was her mother to get better. No more hospitals, no more machines. All she wanted was her father to come home and for her family to be together again. She knew now that her wish wasn't going to be granted and, what made it worse, was her grandpa bombarding her with irrelevant questions!_

_Rei's grandpa's face softened. He leaned in again and pulled Rei into a comforting hug. Rei's eyes widened as soft, light green emotions began filling her again. This time they were…warm…loving. They almost felt like her mother's golden-orange hue. She instantly felt herself calm down, her small, balled hands relaxed._

_Rei's grandpa smiled when he felt the tension leave his granddaughter's form. He could see her aura return to the calm, red glow that always surrounded her. When he pulled away to look at her, her eyes had returned to their amethyst color, though he could see a darkness behind them now, a pain that was still lingering._

_"As a family, blood has bound us. But fate has brought us together in this manner, Reiko," Her grandpa said softly as he smiled, "You have a gift, one that has been passed down in our family for generations. Only those of pure hearts inherit it, but those of strong wills are able to use and control it."_

_"Gift?," Rei looked at her grandpa with questioning eyes._

_"Yes, Reiko. Your ability to see people's colors, their aura. That's part of the gift our family has. Your mother had some of the ability too but was only able to control and use it to a point. But…to be at your age and have the ability to sense emotions and even past events through contact…you are very special," Her grandpa said with pride in his voice. He stood up and held out his hand towards her, "Come, my dear Reiko. I'm going to teach you…train you…to understand and hone your abilities."_

_"Grandpa…," Rei whispered, as she reached out for her grandpa's hand._

* * *

"Hino-sama?...Hino-sama, we're here," Rei blinked a few times at the sound of her name being called by Hitoshi.

Nobuo had pulled the limo into the parking lot of a prestigious condo complex, The Incendia. He rounded the extravagant fountain and pulled up to the curb of the building. Rei looked at the building with disgust. Her loathsome father had chosen her condo for her when she moved to the city and, in the process, decided to buy the whole complex. He said it was because he thought it would be a good investment, but she knew that it was just another way for him to control and keep tabs on her, a fact that Rei cursed every time she saw the building.

Rei waited as Nobuo came around and opened the door for her. She gracefully stepped out of the limo onto the curb and smiled at him as he shut the door behind her. He ran to the trunk to retrieve her bags.

"Hino-sama?," Hitoshi called from the limo as he rolled down the window. Rei's face hardened as she leaned over in reply to look at Hitoshi, "Just to confirm, we're not scheduled to have training tomorrow, correct?"

"Correct. I'll be out of town tomorrow and my contractual break begins the day after that so we won't be meeting for training again until the end of my break," Rei replied evenly.

"Yes, your father told me all about the plans he has for you once your break is over," Hitoshi replied with a nod, "He's really looking forward to you starting formally at the company and taking over the business. He was even mentioning possibly bringing you in earlier to do some-"

"Fuck what _he_ thinks!," Rei snapped, her indigo eyes igniting with a terrifying intensity, "This break is for _my_ sake, not _his_! I am _more_ than aware of my contractual liability and I _will_ _not_ be any more a part of that _fucking_ company than I am contractually obligated to be! Next time you see _my_ _dear Papa_, you can remind him we have a _fucking_ agreement! I know the man doesn't _fucking_ understand the definition of 'integrity' or 'responsibility', but _I_ do and I _always_ see my responsibilities through, no matter how much I may despise them! For such a successful business owner, he should _at least_ have the same _fucking_ decency to hold up _his_ end of the deal!"

_That's twice today,_ Hitoshi, chided himself. He nodded, "Well then, Hino-sama, I'll see you after your break," he said evenly as he rolled the window up.

Rei straightened, her hands balled into fists by her sides. She was still fuming as Nobuo stepped in front of her, setting her duffle bag on the ground.

"Good job, Rei-sama," Nobuo whispered as he handed her a rectangular, hard-shell case that housed her custom bow and arrows. His soothing voice broke her out of her fury and her eyes slowly returned to their lavender color. When she finally focused on him and looked up, she saw his eyes and white aura beaming with pride. She allowed her hands to relax.

"On what? The competition or telling Watanabe-san off twice within 30 minutes?," Rei replied with a smirk as she took the case.

"On your superb performance on and off the field today," Nobuo replied with a sly grin. Rei nodded knowingly. She picked up her duffle bag and slung the shoulder strap over her head. She turned to go into the building,

"Rei-sama," Nobuo said, making her stop and turn back around, "I know you'll be safe once you're there, but I can at least drive you there and back if you need."

Rei couldn't help but smile as she thought about her upcoming trip, knowing she would see her two best friends tomorrow whom she considered part of her _true_ family.

"Thanks, Nobuo-san, but that won't be necessary," Rei said with a reassuring nod. She could sense the concern in his white aura, "The weather report says it'll be sunny so it'll be a nice drive. You know I don't usually like being chauffeured around in my free time anyways. Even after all these years, I'm still not used to it. Besides it's an easy drive there and back, nothing's going to happen. And, like you said, once I'm there I'll be fine with their security. I want you and your team to enjoy your time off until I come back on Sunday."

"Yes, Rei-sama," Nobuo sighed. Sometimes his young charge can be so stubborn, "I've already confirmed your hotel room reservation and will email you the confirmation for your records. I hope you have a fun time, tell them I send my best."

"I will, Nobuo-san. I'll text you when I return," Rei nodded. She turned again and walked into the building. Once she was in the elevator, she saw the limo pull away from the curb and drive slowly out of the parking lot.

* * *

**Author Note:** Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note:** This is my first fanfiction. What started off as a small idea became a beast of a project. I hope you like it.

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references. I couldn't find who actually wrote the O-Town song, but I did my best! Though my professors would _hang_ me for making my citations non-alphabetical, I thought it would be easier to distinguish which song was which by the order they appear.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Bachman, T. (1999). _She's So High_ [Recorded by Tal Bachman]. On Tal Bachman [cassette], New York, New York: Sony Music Entertainment.

Angel, A.P., Estrada, E.-M., Miller, D., Penick, T., and Underwood, J. (2000). _Liquid Dreams_ [Recorded by O-Town]. On O-Town [CD], New York, New York: J Records.

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

Minako finished showering and turned off the water. Once she had dried herself and her hair off enough to prevent from dripping on the floor, she hung the towels up back on the rack and walked out of the bathroom towards her laptop, which sat at a small desk at the foot of her queen-sized bed. Typing swiftly, her apartment was soon filled with music streaming from her computer.

**_- 'Cause she's so high, high above me. She's so lovely. She's so high like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite. She's so high, high above me. -  
_**

Minako began dancing a little as she shuffled in time to the music towards her wall closet. She went to the right-side of the closet and slid one of the mirrored, panel doors open to reveal her clothes. She reached in and grabbed some undergarments and her typical work uniform, which consisted of a white, cotton camisole, a black, short-sleeve cardigan, and black fitted slacks. As she threw them on her bed, her eyes caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored panels.

Her creamy skin truly made her piercing sapphire eyes stand out. Those eyes were usually the first thing people noticed about her besides her lustrous blond hair. They sparkled with a confident, bubbly, carefree, laissez-faire attitude that reflected her personality. Her toned body was perfectly shaped in every way, thanks to her time on the volleyball court during her high school years and occasionally in her free time during her college years. By anyone's standards, Minako was gorgeous. Sure, she could land any man she wanted and _had_ landed a few that caught her attention, but they never really lasted and she would end it fairly quickly. She smiled at her reflection,

_That's because girls are so much more fun that guys!, _She thought. She knew from a young age that she was attracted to both men and women and had explored relationships with both genders. It wasn't until college that her interests began leaning slightly more towards the female make up. Though those relationships lasted just as long or maybe a week longer than her relationships with guys before she would end them, she enjoyed the intensity of them quite a bit.

Which is partially why she chose the job she had and continued to work there, always surrounded by beautiful women looking to her for advice and expertise. She loved the attention. But even then, she hadn't found one that could keep her interest longer than maybe a month, let alone _the_ one.

"Michi-chan is so lucky," She pouted as she got dressed, "Why can't _I_ find someone like Haru-chan who's strong, independent, and confident so they're not always clinging to me?" She paused and giggled to herself, "But not to the point that they don't even know I'm around and don't worship me like the love-goddess I am!"

Once she was dressed, she went back to the bathroom, grabbed her blow dryer from under the sink, and plugged it in to dry her hair. When she finished, she brushed it carefully and tied it up and out of her face with a bright-red bow, which was a birthday gift from her sister. Though red was not one of her favorite colors, Usagi was so excited to give her the gift that Minako couldn't help but feel a warm fondness for the item despite its color.

"Ok," Minako said to herself in the bathroom mirror, "Now the hard part." She walked out of the bathroom and back to her closet. This time, she went to the left-side and slid both panel doors all the way to the right, revealing a floor-to-ceiling, cubby-hole cabinet. By its design, it was obvious that it was custom-built for the closet. Within each cubby-hole were professional makeup cases of varying colors.

"Let's see," Minako took a step back to eye her collection, "What do I want to do today?" She contemplated her options for a while before smiling and reaching for an orange case towards the bottom of the cabinet.

"Natural it is!," She said to herself cheerfully. Bringing the orange case to the bathroom, she opened it to reveal a variety of organized makeup products ranging from concealers, lotions, lipsticks/gloss, mascaras, eyeliners, blushes, and foundations in all forms imaginable with accompanying brush and sponge sets. She chose a few items and expertly began applying the products to her face, mixing various colors and powders with skill.

Once she had put on the finishing touches, she stood back from the bathroom mirror to look at herself. If there was any question about her beauty before, it would most certainly be cast aside. It appeared as if she hadn't used any makeup at all while, at the same time, she had the airbrushed and perfect image of a model in a magazine. She smiled at her reflection, knowing that she had achieved her goal.

She checked her watch, 1:35pm. _Perfect!,_ She mentally congratulated herself, _Just enough time to grab a bite and head out. _She made her way to the kitchen where she pulled out a frozen savory pastry from the freezer and popped it in the microwave.

**_Wrrrrrr…_**

As that was heating up, she retrieved her cellphone from the nightstand and located her purse on the breakfast bar that separated her kitchen from the rest of her studio apartment. She casually threw her phone into the purse and checked to make sure it contained her wallet and keys.

**_Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

Grabbing the keys, she put the purse over her shoulder and went back to the kitchen to retrieve her meal. With food and keys in hand, she went to the front door and slipped on a pair of comfortable, black heels to go with her outfit. She looking back into her apartment to make sure she had turned off all the lights.

"Ittekimasu!," She called cheerfully as she opened the door and headed for work.

* * *

**_Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

The elevator doors opened and Rei exited down an extravagant hallway to her condo. She pulled at the front pocket zipper of her duffle bag and fished out her keys. When she arrived at her door, she unlocked it and walked in.

"Tadaima," She casually called out to the empty two-bedroom condo. Even though she felt a slight pang of loneliness every time since she never received a response since moving here for college, it was a habit she couldn't bring herself to break as it was something her grandpa instilled in her at a very young age.

_Now that I have time, I should really go visit the shrine,_ She sighed to herself. The last time she had visited her grandpa was in her third year of college during Spring break. It wasn't that she didn't want to visit, on the contrary, she didn't feel at home anywhere else. But to prepare for graduation and going pro in archery, she really had to buckle down her last year and had barely any time to sleep or eat, let alone drive into the wooded hillsides to visit her beloved grandpa, _It's been a while…It'd be nice to see Grandpa and be home again_. She took off her shoes and left them neatly near the front door as she continued into her condo.

The condo had an open layout with a stained, dark bamboo flooring that spread throughout the condo, except in the bedrooms and bathrooms. To the left was an open kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and black-granite counter-tops that were accented by red kitchen towels hanging over the oven door handle. The kitchen was separated from the living room by a white, rectangular island with breakfast bar and black bar stools with white cushions. Further in on that side was a dining area with a heavy, dark-wood table perpendicular to the kitchen and had six, white-leather, high-back chairs tucked in snugly. A large, bay window, parallel to the table, allowed for a view of the city.

The living room area, directly in front of the entry-way, had a large, white sofa with a couple red accent pillows, the backrest parallel to the breakfast bar. This was facing an elaborately carved fireplace in the wall to the right. Above that was a 52", flat-screen, HD television, complete with cable service, which she got from her best friend when she moved in. Despite Rei's distaste for television, she wasn't so rude as to turn down such an expensive gift, even if it _was_ meant to be a gag gift.

Further on the opposite wall from the entry-way were floor-to-ceiling glass panels with a sliding-glass door that lead to a balcony that stretched towards the right, beyond the wall that had the fireplace. This was framed on both sides by red black-out curtains and white, sheer curtains.

She took a right and followed the wall briefly until she reached a door to the right that led to her spare bedroom, which she converted into an archery equipment room and small office. She kept the room locked for safety reasons and used her keys to unlocking the door. When she opened it, it revealed a simple, corner desk with a laptop, lamp, and office chair situated at the far-left corner. That was the extent of the 'office' part. In the middle of the room was a large, long metal table on which sat a small, white remote, propane torch, allen wrenches, pliers, and organized stacks of rags, adhesives, various feather and plastic fletching, and bow strings. Lining the wall on the left was a series of racks that housed various groupings of arrows. The opposite wall from the door held bows of just as many and varying makes, models, and sizes.

Rei went around the table and dropped her duffle bag on the plush, white, carpeted floor. Gently, she set down her equipment case on the large table. She picked up the small, white remote and pointed it over her shoulder towards the laptop behind her. When she pressed a button, her office and the condo were immediately filled with music, courtesy of her online radio station and speaker system she had installed throughout the place.

**_- Now this hot girl, she's not your average girl. She's a morpharotic dream from a magazine. And she's so fine, designed to blow your mind. She's a dominatrix supermodel beauty queen. -_**

Rei nodded her head to the music as she unbuckled the latches to open the equipment case. One by one, she pulled out the arrows and carefully wiped them with one of the rags at her disposal. She examined each one carefully and, for some, replaced the fletching that was worn or damaged from the competition earlier in the day. Once complete with the meticulous task, she placed each of them gently on the vacant arrow racks on the wall. Lastly, she pulled out her competition bow and wiped it down with care. Examining the pulleys at each end of the bow, she picked up an allen wrench and adjusted the tension on the strings with expertise. When she was satisfied with her work, she placed it gently on a vacant bow rack. Returning to the table, she neatly put her tools back in their proper place, closed the equipment case, and tucked it under the table.

"Ok," Rei said out loud to herself, "Time to put away the rest of my gear, shower, eat, do laundry, take out the trash, get gas, and pack for tomorrow."

_**Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...**_

Before she could start her list of chores, her cellphone rang in her pocket. She used the remote to turn the music down and pulled out her phone. She looked at who it was and smiled.

"Hey," Rei answered once she flipped it open.

"Hey, Rei! Haha! I can never get over how funny that is!," A low husky voice laughed on the other line. Rei rolled her eyes at her best friend.

"So, how old are we now, Haruka?" Rei asked sarcastically with feigned annoyance, "I can't believe you still think that rhyming my name with 'hey' is funny after all these years."

"You know you love that about me," Tenoh Haruka replied flirtatiously.

"And I'm sure Michiru would _love_ hearing about you shamelessly flirting with me," Rei quipped.

"Whatever, she knows it's just a bro-mance," Rei could hear Haruka smiling on the other line and couldn't help but smile as well.

"Anyway, I was calling to congratulate you on your win today, Flame Sniper-san. Good job!," Haruka said, fondly using the nickname the press had dubbed her since her first competition win due to her deadly accuracy and her affinity for the color red. Though Haruka was an only child, she always saw Rei as a younger sister and took it upon herself to watch over her as such.

Rei closed her eyes and focused her energy through the phone to the woman on the other line. She smiled when she could feel her best friend's familiar royal-blue aura coming through the phone, laced with pride.

"Thanks, Haruka," Rei replied sincerely. "That really means a lot." As an only child, Rei saw Haruka as a cool older sister and idolized her. Besides her grandpa, she and Michiru were the only other people she truly trusted and felt she could be herself around. Thus, she considered them family. Since they became friends, Rei strove to live up to the examples they set and make them proud.

_Haruka's also the one who taught me how to curse like a sailor!, _Rei thought as the memory of her earlier conversation with Hitoshi came back to her. She shook her head and brought her attention back to the conversation.

"Congratulations to you, too, I read in the newspaper yesterday that the World Shaker did it again in the States," Rei quoted, returning the favor and using the press nickname Haruka was dubbed when she began her career as a race-car driver. A magazine article quoted Haruka's explosive win in her first race as 'shaking the world' of auto racing and the nickname had stuck ever since.

"Who's the flirt now?," Haruka teased. Rei huffed, _Mataku, Haruka!_

"Anyway, speaking of the States," Rei chose instead to ignore Haruka's teasing, "Are you sure you're going to make it back on time tomorrow? Want me to pick you up from the airport?"

"No worries, I'll be back on time," Haruka responded, "Nobuo-san's not driving you tomorrow?"

"No, I gave him and the team the weekend off," Rei replied, "Since you said the hotel already has good security, he checked it out and gave it the all clear. So I thought it would be silly for him to just drive me there and back."

"Mmn, that makes sense," Haruka replied, "I didn't request any security detail either tomorrow since I thought it would be silly to get one just for getting off the plane. The hotel's already so ritzy and big-names go there all the time so they're pretty good about that stuff. Other than my friend giving us a great deal, it's one of the reasons Michiru and I chose this place so we could move around freely without having to be guarded 24/7."

"So, A.D.D.-san, did you want me to pick you up or not?," Rei smirked.

"Sure!," Haruka laughed, "If you can pick me up at the airport around 1:00pm, that would be great!"

"Ok, sounds good," Rei responded, focusing her energy again on the woman on the other line, "Also…have you been practicing?," Though she struggled a bit due to the distance, she could sense faint hesitation in the royal blue aura.

"Y-Yeah…but-"Haruka began.

"C'mon, Haruka!" Rei whined, relaxing her senses.

"I know, I know," Haruka sighed, "It's just…I don't know, Rei. It's _really_ fucking dangerous."

"Haruka, you've seen me do it before at the shrine," Rei replied matter-of-factly, "You know how my abilities work, I'll be fine! As long as I keep myself in check tomorrow and you've been practicing then it'll all be ok. When I showed you how to do it, you did it perfectly. I know you'll do great. C'mon, I really want to do this, not just for you, but for Michiru too."

Haruka sighed. _Sometimes Rei can be just as stubborn as me!_

"Ok, ok. We'll do it, we'll do it." Haruka conceded with a sigh, "Luckily, I brought the stuff with me to practice here so you can just pick me up and we can go straight to the hotel," She paused, "Rei…I really appreciate what you'll be doing. I know Michiru appreciates it too…But if anything happens to you, I will never forgive you!"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei replied.

"OH, SHIT!," Haruka suddenly cried, "Oh my _fucking_ Gods, I can't believe I forgot! Rei, can you do me a favor?"

"What!? What is it!?," Rei asked with concern.

"I forgot I was supposed to pick up my outfit before leaving so I'd have it with me!," Haruka sighed. Rei nearly fell over in disbelief.

"It's still at the tailor shop," Haruka continued. "You know, the one next to the mall? They close tonight at 10:00pm and they'll be closed tomorrow for the weekend. Can you get it tonight and bring it with you tomorrow?"

"Of course," Rei sighed. Though she scanned Haruka's aura more times than she could count over the years to confirm, she sometimes still couldn't believe that Haruka was truly three years older than her, "I have to go out and get gas anyways so I'll swing by there," She smirked, "So being a quarter of a century old is already making you start to forget _really_ important things? Next, you'll be having Michiru feeding you congee, you old fogie!"

"Keep it up and you're gonna get an ass-whoopin' from an 'old fogie' tomorrow!," Haruka replied warningly with a smirk, "Well, I have to go, my flight's really early in the morning and I still need to pack. I'll see you tomorrow, ok? Love you, 'bye!"

"Ok, see you tomorrow. Love you too, 'bye," Rei replied. She flipped the phone closed and mentally added picking up Haruka's outfit from the tailor to her growing to-do list. After a brief second, she opened her phone again,

_I'll text Nobuo-san to let him know I won't be driving alone tomorrow. I know it's his job, but sometimes he worries like a mother!, _Rei chuckled to herself as she typed a brief message to her bodyguard. Once the sound of a sent message came from the device, she closed her phone and checked her clock, 3:00pm.

_Where did the time go?,_ Rei sighed, _Well, better get started. _She unpacked her archery gear from her duffle bag and hung them on some pegs that were on the wall opposite from her desk. In the corner, across from the desk was a large trophy case. Behind the large, sliding glass doors of the trophy case were medals and trophies of varying sizes, neatly organized on staggered shelves. In the center was one of her most prized possessions, an Olympic gold metal in archery.

Once she was finished putting her equipment away, she closed and locked the door to her 'office' and went to her bedroom, which was through a door on the same wall as the fireplace, passed the guest bathroom.

Her bedroom had the same carpeting as the office. The wall to the left looked identical to the one in the living room, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels and a sliding-glass door that lead to the other end of the balcony, with matching curtains. One small indulgence she allowed herself when she moved in was her inviting, king-sized bed, covered in white, satin sheets and a lightweight red comforter. Having to consistently condition her body for tournaments, she would often come back to the condo sore and thanked Kami-sama for the invention of latex foam mattresses. She went to her walk-in closet, peeled off her clothes, and threw them in her laundry hamper before heading to the bathroom to shower.

If Minako was considered gorgeous, Rei would most certainly be at the same level, if not more. Her pale skin and jet-black hair made her mature amethyst eyes impossible to ignore. To most people, they only saw an aloof attitude and a fiery determination in her cold gaze. But, to those closest to her, her eyes revealed a strong personality, a fiercely loyal and caring heart, but haunted by a touch of pain, loneliness, and sadness. Her body was, of course, in excellent shape due to her years of training and moved with a seductive sway that would make anyone, man or woman, swoon.

But in all her years, she never once paid any romantic attention to a single soul. It wasn't that she didn't want it, she just never found someone who caught her attention in that way. And even if she had, she also just never…had time.

_Haruka's so lucky to have a sexy and intelligent woman like Michiru, _She pouted to herself as she lathered up her hair. Rei knew from a young age that women were her gender of choice. She used to be absolutely _repulsed_ by men, but over the years her feelings towards men soften to…_barely_ tolerating them. Other than Haruka, Michiru, and her grandpa, she didn't share this part of herself with anyone else. And even then, it wasn't until Haruka came out to Rei _first_ that Rei decided to share her preference with her best friend. It wasn't that she was ashamed or _trying_ to hide it, she was just confident and secure enough in herself that she thought of it as just another part of her, like her eye color. She just never saw the _need_ to come out. It was _her_ business, not anyone else's.

Though in all her years she hadn't met anyone that made her weak in the knees, she still hoped for love. When she was 10 years old and began practicing fire reading at the shrine, she would have…a reoccurring vision. The vision was always the same.

* * *

_Rei was kneeling as if in prayer with a shadowy figure of a woman standing in front of her, her back facing Rei. The woman had long hair that came past her waist, like Rei's. She had an orange-gold glow around her. She looked over her shoulder and, though Rei couldn't make out her face, she sensed the woman was smiling warmly at her. The woman half-turned to face Rei and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer._

_"Oide…" The shadowy figure said in an inviting melodic tone._

_Rei's heart was pounding loudly in her ears, not out of fear but…what? She was hesitant, but found herself slowly reaching out to take the woman's hand. When their hands touched, a soft glow flowed into Rei through their joined hands as if the woman was filling her soul with a warmth that made her feel…complete._

* * *

The vision would always end after Rei took hold of the shadowy woman's hand. When Rei first began having this vision, she thought that the woman was her mother and, for years, actively revisited it in her fire readings as a way to be with her mother again. Thought she was happy to see her mother again, she was always shattered when she couldn't see beyond her taking her hand.

When Rei turned 13 and had honed her fire reading abilities more, she had come to find that the woman in her vision was not her mother. The woman's aura signature was similar, but not the same as her mother's. The woman's voice, though it was just as kind as her mother's, was just a touch higher in pitch.

Unsure of what to make of this recurring vision, Rei hunted down and consulted with the only person she knew would have an answer: her grandpa. After she had found him in the rock garden and recounted the vision to him, he smiled and lifted an eyebrow…

* * *

_"Reiko…are you attracted to women?" _

_When Rei averted her gaze and blushed in silence, her grandpa took that as a 'yes'. He chuckled to himself as he placed a comforting hand on Rei's shoulder, "My dear Reiko," He said kindly, "This vision you're having is nothing to be worried about."_

_Rei lifted her head to look at her grandpa with confusion. He patted her shoulder and began walking towards the house, still smiling._

_"But, Grandpa, what does it mean? If it's not Mama, who is she?," Rei asked in frustration._

_Rei's grandpa stopped and responded warmly, "Patience, Reiko, patience. In time, you will know who she is," He looked over his shoulder and smiled at his beloved granddaughter._

_"Because," he continued, "She will be your soulmate."_

* * *

**Author Note:** Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note:** In the A/Ns of the previous two chapters, I said this was my first fanfiction. I should probably clarify that statement: This is my first story...like ever. I've never written _anything_ outside of anything academic until now (as you can probably tell by the citations? ^_^) I was really inspired by the great stories floating around on this site. There are some really amazing writers out there. Again, I hope you like it.

This story is centered around Sailor Moon characters and isn't meant to be a crossover story at all. But there will be instances of, what I would consider "guest appearances" of characters who aren't pivotal to the plot. I just happen to like them.

**Kirei** = [Japanese] Pretty or beautiful

I don't own Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references. Since there's really no order to these, I'm deferring to the traditional, alphabetical reference order.

CLAMP. (1996). _Cardcaptor Sakura_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

Minako was stocking the shelves with recently received items when a young lady approached her.

"Ummm...e-excuse me...do you work here?," The young lady asked. Minako turned her head towards the timid voice. The adorable young lady looked to be no older than fourteen, her delicate hands fidgeted nervously with the ends of her asymmetrical, layered, shoulder-length, brown hair.

"Yes, I do. How can I help you?," Minako replied with a dazzling smile. The young lady blushed when she saw Minako's face.

_Wow.._.s_he's so…beautiful!, _The young lady thought. She became more nervous under Minako's gentle gaze, "U-Ummmm…I-I'm looking for…well, I…I'm not s-sure how to…I've never…I h-have a…," The young lady averted her gaze to the ground as she stuttered, her face now fully flushed with embarrassment.

Minako giggled to herself and set down the items she was restocking. She approached the young lady and gently placed a finger under the young lady's chin, tilting her head up to meet her gaze. When the young lady looked up and met Minako's cerulean eyes, she smiled, "So," Minako said, "You have a date and you want to look your best, but you've never used makeup before and need assistance. Is that right?"

The young lady's jaw dropped. She wasn't sure whether to be impressed by Minako's insightful observation or more embarrassed that she might have made it painfully obvious that she had _absolutely_ no idea what she was doing when it came to beauty products. Minako took her silence as a 'yes' and began examining the young lady's face.

"You have a great complexion so we don't have to worry about the canvas. Probably just a light powder foundation to even everything out," Minako continued, tilting her head slightly, "Maybe we can do a slight winged-eyeliner look with a faint eye-shadow to make your eyes stand out. A baby-pink lip gloss would really bring it all together. Why don't we go to my station and we'll try it out? If you like it, I can show you how to do it at home and give you a discount if you decide to buy anything," She paused and smiled, "And...since it seems you already have a healthy blush going on, we can perhaps skip that part?," she winked, playfully teasing the young lady.

Minako didn't think it was possible, but she watched as the young lady's face now went crimson from blushing.

_Yep!_, Minako giggled to herself, G_irls are way more fun than guys!_

"S-Sure," The young lady said when she finally found her voice, "Th-That sounds good."

Minako led the young lady from the product aisles over to the other side of the store which was lined with makeup stations and mirrors surrounded by lights. It reminded the young lady of glamorous makeup stations found in famous actresses' dressing rooms or like she would see in the movies. Minako stopped at a station and turned around to face the young lady. She gestured towards a black salon chair with the name "Aphrodite" in white screen-print on the backrest.

"Have a seat and we'll get started. My name is Aino Minako, what's yours?," Minako asked.

"K-Kinomoto," The young lady said as she slowly sat down in the chair, "Kinomoto Sakura."

"Nice to meet you, Kinomoto-san," Minako said politely as she turned towards her station table, which was covered with all sorts of beauty products, and began picking out the necessary items she was going to use on Sakura. She turned back around and began gently wiping Sakura's face with a damp towelette, "So what I'm doing right now is using a face wash to prep your skin. Next I'll use a toner and moisturizer before applying the foundation. You can also put a face primer on before the foundation to help your makeup stay on longer, but since I'm just showing you how to do this we won't do that, ok?," Sakura nodded, taking in the information that Minako was sharing.

"Now," Minako smiled, "Tell me about this person you're going on a date with?"

Minako continued to work while her young customer started talking about the boy in her class that she had known since elementary school, had a crush on for _years_, and who _finally_ noticed her. Sakura began to relax as she and Minako chatted about dating, high school, and boys. Minako smoothly inserted a few tips on the makeup techniques she was using on Sakura as she was doing them without breaking the rhythm of their conversation. When Minako was finished with the makeup demo, she swiveled Sakura around to face the mirror at her station and stood behind her.

"So, what do you think?" Minako asked as she looked at Sakura through the mirror.

Sakura's mouth dropped slightly and was speechless. In the mirror, an attractive young lady resembling herself was staring back at her. Of course she's seen herself in a mirror many times before, but this time the image that was reflected had all her best features showcased favorably and flawlessly, "I look…sexy!," Sakura managed to say.

Minako smiled at Sakura's reaction. She placed her hands on the young lady's shoulders and leaned closer, "That's because you are, sweetheart," she whispered softly in her ear. Sakura blushed at these words and smiled shyly as her gaze went to her hands folded in her lap. Minako straightened and swiveled the chair again so Sakura was now facing her.

"C'mon," Minako said cheerfully, "I'll show you where the products I used are."

Minako led her through the product aisles, recapping the makeup demo as she presented each product and, as promised, gave Sakura a discount when she decided to buy all the products. After Minako rung up Sakura's purchase, the young lady smiled and waved to Minako as she headed towards the door.

"Thanks a lot, Aino-sempai!" Sakura said cheerfully, "You were really helpful!"

"You're welcome, Kinomoto-san. Good luck!," Minako waved back and watched Sakura as she practically skipped out of the store.

"Chalk another one up for Aphrodite. You never cease to amaze me, Aino-san," Minako heard someone say behind her. She instantly knew by the playful nickname she gained from her time working at the store that her boss and friend was standing behind her. She turned and smiled at her long-time employer,

"Thanks, Fujii-san!, " Minako replied, "I love working with the clueless ones," She giggled, "Especially when they're cute."

Fujii Karin was the same height as Minako. Her pink hair went just past her shoulders and accented her playful, aqua eyes. She was wearing the store's manager uniform that consisted of a white, button-up shirt, tucked into black slacks, and a black skinny-tie. She had folded her sleeves up above her elbows, which allowed her to show-off her forearm tattoos, which consisted of koi fish swimming around her arms. She smiled back at Minako.

"Well, from the looks of it, she doesn't look too clueless anymore," Karin smiled proudly at her employee. "Which is partially why I wanted to see you. Let's go to my office and chat." Minako followed Karin to the back of the store and through a door that led to the employee locker room and manager offices.

* * *

Karin's office consisted of a cherry-wood, L-shaped desk with a two-shelf hutch that was flush against the left-side of the room. The desk, which had a computer and neat stacks of files on one side, separated her high-back, black-leather, rolling office chair from two cushioned, vinyl guest chairs that sat across from it. Along the walls were framed prints of alternating inspirational quotes and different tropical paradise sceneries.

Karin gestured for Minako to sit in one of the guest chairs as she closed the door. As Minako sat down, Karin walked around her, opting instead to leaned against her desk rather than sit, facing Minako. Once in the privacy of Karin's office, both women allowed the formalities to drop.

"Mina-chan, ever since we hired you, you've been doing a really great job," Karin began, "I don't know anyone else that has risen to head artist as quickly as you have, especially since you started only working part-time while attending college and cosmetology school at the same time. It's quite impressive. And since we were able to promote you to head artist, you've learned this place inside and out and we've had an increase in revenues and return customers. In all my years working here, I don't know anyone that can match you and your talent in makeup. And on top of that, everyone _loves_ you here. Customers are always contacting us about how great their visits were and your coworkers have nothing but great things to say about you and how helpful you are. Hell, you even helped cover for _me_ as manager while I was out. I just want to let you know that I've notice those things."

"Thanks, Karin-chan!," Minako replied with a smile, "You know how much I love working here so I'm glad that I can help in any way I can."

"And because of all that," Karin continued, "We have to let you go."

"…What?" Minako was stunned. Karin looked down towards the floor and her shoulders began to shake. Suddenly, she burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha! Gotcha!," Karin said as she continued to laugh hysterically at her practical joke, "Oh, sweetie, I wish you could have seen your face when I said that!"

"Wh...What the hell, Karin-chan!? Mou!" Minako breathed a sigh of relief and pouted at her boss, "I don't remember you being into practical jokes when we were dating."

Karin's laughter was winding down and she wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes. She smiled at Minako and said in between breaths and giggles, "Well…that's because…we're friends now and I…don't have to impress you anymore."

Minako crossed her arms and continued trying to pout, but couldn't help but smile slightly. She was glad that she managed to stay friends, or at least on good terms, with her exes. Especially Karin, who ended up becoming one of her closest friends.

"Speaking of which," Minako said, "How's Azumi-chan? Did she enjoy the honeymoon?"

"She's good, thanks for asking," Karin beamed as she spoke about her wife, "Yeah, the resort near Nagoya was amazing. Thanks for recommending it! We were just saying how we should have you and Usagi-chan over for a girl's night dinner again."

"Sure! Just let me know and I'll check with Usa-neechan!," Minako replied excitedly.

"Anyways, what I _really_ meant to say was that I have some news," Karin said, referring to their previous topic of conversation, "I just heard this morning that I'm being promoted to work in the corporate office."

"Oh my Gods! Karin-chan! Congratulations! That's so exciting! I'm so proud of you!," Minako squealed for her friend as she jumped out of her seat and gave Karin a big hug.

"Oof! Th-Thanks, sweetie," Karin replied as the wind was knocked out of her as she caught her boisterous friend, "But that's not all."

"Oh! Sorry!," Minako giggled as she pulled away, "What else?"

"You might want to sit down for this," Karin said as she gently guided Minako back to sitting down, "So, if I'm moving to the corporate office, that means my position will be open starting Monday. And...," Karin paused for effect, "...It's yours if you want it."

Minako's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, "Wait…what? Are you serious! This isn't another joke, is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"It'll be a pay raise," Karin continued as she smiled widely at her shocked friend, "There's also stock options. You'll have regular, weekday hours. No more crazy schedules. Also, Yumi, the morning manager, wanted to switch to the evening and weekend schedule so you'll even be doing the shorter morning schedule from 7:00am to 2:00pm for the same pay. It _is_ a little more responsibility than head artist, but it's nothing you haven't done before since you ran the place while Azumi and I were on our honeymoon. I also put in a word to corporate about how much potential you have and showed them the numbers since you started working here. They like what they see and they want to put you on the fast-track to move up and work there also. If you accept this position, they're willing to offer a full-ride scholarship for you to go to any MBA program you like, not strings attached. And, by the way, Mina-chan, they NEVER do that! It's also perfect because if you choose a university near here you'll be able to do night classes while still keeping your job. This is a great opportunity for you, Mina-chan! So, what do you think?"

Even though Minako heard every word Karin was saying, she was still in shock and trying to process just was it was exactly that Karin was saying, "So…you're saying I have to get up _super_ early now?"

Karin nearly fell over, "OH MY GODS, MINA-CHAN! Is that _all_ you heard!? Yes, that's part of it, but did you hear the rest!? I'm telling you that you're the first person _ever_ the company has offered such a great opportunity to because they believe in you and _all_ you can think about is _sleeping in_!?"

"Nyahaahaa…," Minako giggled nervously as she scratched her cheek, "It's just a lot to take in. I can't believe this is happening."

"Well, believe it, Mina-chan," Karin said with a huff as she crossed her arms, "And don't think I'll let you let this opportunity slip through your fingers! As your boss, I'm obligated to tell you that you have the right to say 'no'. But as your friend, I'll strangle you if you don't say 'yes'!"

Karin's face turned serious as she looked straight into Minako's eyes, "Sweetie, you know I love you, but sometimes you can be so insecure and unsure of yourself. I _know_ you can do this. You have _so_ much talent and potential in this industry and I don't want to see you waste it by stocking shelves. I've seen you create your own palettes and do innovative things with cosmetics. Hell, that's why we call you 'Aphrodite' because you can make even a pig look like a goddess! This could be a chance for you to learn the ropes and maybe even _make_ your own line instead of just using the crap that's out there."

Tears were beginning to form in Minako's eyes and she sniffed them back. Other than, Usagi, Karin was the only other person who really knew her and loved her enough to be so straight-forward with her.

"Thanks, Karin-chan. It means a lot how much you believe in me," Minako said sincerely. She was taken by surprise when she found her nose being gently tweaked by her friend.

"_You_ should believe in yourself _too_, Mina-chan," Karin said firmly. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

A wide smile pulled at Minako's lips, "This is so crazy…I'll do it! Thanks so much for everything, Karin-chan!"

"Don't thank me, you deserve this!," Karin said as she walked behind her desk. She leaned over and began rummaging through one of her bottom drawers.

"I'll put in all the paperwork today so you'll be all set for Monday in your new position, Manager-san," Karin said as she found what she was looking for and pulled out a letter-size envelope and a tall, velvet pouch, "Here's your last check as head artist and a present from Azumi and me on your promotion!"

"Aww, Karin-chan! You guys didn't have to do that!," Minako said as she took the pouch. She reached in and pulled out an expensive bottle of creamy Nigori sake, "Holy shit, Karin-chan! Thank you!" She practically jumped over the desk to hug her boss and friend again.

"Oof! N-No problem," Karin managed to say as she hugged her friend back. Minako released her friend so Karin could breathe again.

"This is so exciting! I can't believe this! You guy should come over tonight so we can celebrate and have it together!," Minako exclaimed.

"Sorry, sweetie!," Karin said as she held her hands up in front of her and bowed in apology, "We're driving to my parents' house tonight and staying until Tuesday to celebrate my promotion with them. The traffic won't be as bad late at night as it is in the morning."

"Oh, okay," Minako said a little disappointed.

"But," Karin looked up and tapped her chin with her finger, thinking, "How about we plan to do our girl's night dinner on Wednesday at our place after work to celebrate?"

"Okay, that sounds good! I'll tell Usa-neechan," Minako said cheerfully. She suddenly turned nervous and looked at the floor, "U-Umm…Karin-chan?," Minako began hesitantly.

"Yes, Mina-chan?" Karin asked curiously due to her friend's sudden change.

"Do I…_have_ to go to grad school, like…soon? I mean…I'm still not even sure what exactly it is I _want_ to do. I mean, I like cosmetics and I know I'm good at it, but…I don't know," Minako began fidgeting with her fingers, bracing herself for another round of Karin's scolding. Instead, she felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder.

"Mataku, Mina-chan," Karin sighed, "We _really_ need to work on that insecurity of yours. I had a feeling you'd be nervous about that part. It's not like you haven't worked and gone to school before. Like I said, I know you'd be able to do it and I think you'd be really good at it. You have a good head on your shoulders. But, no, I negotiated with them to have the offer stand for as long as you work for the company. So even if you got promoted or worked in this position forever, it's up to you whether you decide to do it or not as long as you don't get a job somewhere else."

Minako sighed in relief, "Ok, that makes me feel better."

Karin leaned over and hugged her friend warmly, "For someone who's such a flirt and comes off so confident, you really _are_ hopeless."

Minako sighed, "I know."

Karin kissed her friend on the cheek and pulled away. Grabbing the envelope from the table, she held it out to Minako and smirked, "Now put these away in your locker and get back to work or I'll fire you for real!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Minako giggled as she saluted. She took her sake and paycheck and left Karin's office, closing the door behind her. Once those items were safely locked away, she returned to the storefront to continue her work.

Karin flopped down in her office chair. Leaning back, she sighed as she closed her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose, _Mataku, what are we going to do with you, Mina-chan?_

* * *

It was 9:40pm by the time Rei walked out of the tailor shop carrying Haruka's outfit. It took her longer than she thought to get her to-do list done for the day and she almost thought she wouldn't make it to the shop in time.

"Mataku!," Rei cursed aloud to herself, "I can't believe Haruka forgot this! I'd _love_ to tell Michiru about this if I knew she wouldn't kill her!" Though she always enjoyed seeing Haruka squirm when Michiru got upset at her antics, she loved her too much to wish death upon her. She unlocked her car and laid the garment bag flat on the backseat, being careful not to wrinkle it. She slid into the driver's seat, started the car, and was about to put the car in reverse and pull out of her spot when she looked up and a store at the neighboring mall caught her eye.

"'Kirei', huh?," Rei said as she read the store name out loud.

_I know they're going to have a professional makeup artist tomorrow, but they always overdo it because of how pale my skin is and I always end up looking like a clown!, _Rei thought to herself as the numerous photo shoots and commercials she's had to do during college for Hino Sporting Enterprise flashed through her mind, _I should really bring some of my own makeup…and maybe some makeup remover just in case._

She flipped open her phone to check the time, _Looks like they're still open for another 20 minutes or so. I'll just be quick so I don't burden the staff._

Rei turned the car off and gracefully stepped out. She beeped her car lock over her shoulder and walked to the store.

* * *

**Author Note:** I have a pretty solid idea of where I want the story to go, but I've never been a big vocab person. I'm more of a visual person. I 'watch' the story and scenes play out in my head and then struggle with putting them down in words. I mostly get stuck and have a hard time describing things or finding the right words to convey what I 'see' in my mind so it takes me, what I think, a long time to get a chapter out. And, because of my perfectionist tendencies, I have a bad habit of going back and trying to tweak and re-write even the smallest of details to make it "just right". So you might see some re-posting of chapters with very very minimal changes or sporadic postings of new chapters in the future.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note:** It's a little sad how anticlimactic posting a chapter is. It takes me weeks to write a chapter, wrestle with the wording to try and convey what I mean, edit and adjust it, but only mere minutes to post. I feel like confetti should shower down and a banner saying "Congratulations!" should appear or something.

But I _have_ been enjoying reading the reviews I've received so far, thanks for those! They're very encouraging! I'm not really big into shout-outs, I like to write PMs instead. I find them more personal. So if you wrote/write a review and I'm able to PM you, I have/will.

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Kreviazuk, C. J. and Lavigne, A. (2004). _Who Knows_ [Recorded by Avril Lavigne]. On Under My Skin [CD], New York, New York: Artisa Records.

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

"You sure you're ok closing up on your own?," Karin asked with concern.

"Yeah, don't worry about it!," Minako said confidently as she began wiping down the register counter, "Azumi-chan's already been waiting in the car for 5 minutes, there's no need to make her wait another 20 until we close. I know you two have a drive ahead of you so you should go. I'll be fine! And, plus, who's going to walk in this late anyways?"

"Ok," Karin sighed hesitantly, "I guess you're right. Well...text me once you leave, ok? I'm going out the back, I'll see you Wednesday."

"'Bye, Karin-chan!" Minako waved.

**_- Why do you look so familiar? I could swear that I have seen your face before. I think I like that you seem sincere. I think I'd like to get to know you a little bit more. I think there's something more life's worth living for. Who knows what could happen? Do what you do, just keep on laughing. One thing's true, there's always a brand new day. I'm gonna live today like it's my last day. -  
_**

Minako continued to wipe down the counter, humming along to the soft music that kept her company in the store.

**_Jingle Jingle!_**

She was interrupted by the door chime ringing, signaling someone entering the store.

"Good evening! Welcome to Kirei!," Minako called towards the door. She couldn't see the person who walked in due to the display aisles, but she could hear high heels hitting the cement floor, "We close at 10:00pm, but please feel free to take your time and let me know if you have any questions!"

"Mmn," Minako heard a woman's smooth voice reply. As she finished cleaning the counter, she listened to the customer's shoes clicking against the floor, browsing the product aisles. Grabbing a push broom, Minako began going up and down the aisles smoothly and meticulously.

When she rounded the corner of one of the aisles, she came to an immediate halt. Her grip on the broom handle tightened as her breath caught. Her heart began beating so loud she could hear it in her ears and she felt her face begin to blush.

Before her was a beautiful woman, kneeling in front of the blushes, examining one of the products in her hands. She was wearing a fitted, black tank-top that matched her black pumps with white jeans that accentuated her porcelain skin. Her long, raven-colored, silky hair barely brushed the floor and was tucked behind one ear so Minako could see the profile of her flawless face.

No, 'beautiful' was not the word to describe this creature. According to Minako, a word hadn't yet been _invented_ to describe such perfection. She stood there, mesmerized by the woman.

* * *

Rei could sense a presence near her and was mildly annoyed, _I hope she doesn't recognize me and ask for an autograph or something. I just want to get my things, pay, and go home._

"I don't need any help," She said almost curtly without looking up, "Thank you."

Minako snapped out of her trance. Her brow furrowed, _Mataku! Why is it beautiful people always have to be so rude!?_

She huffed and continued sweeping the floor, trying to ignore the woman as she walked passed. But as she walked by, she chanced a glance at her from the corner of her eye and saw the blush the woman was holding in her hands, _No, that's too orange for her skin. It's not going to work for how pale she is._ She quickly scanned the blush displays and her eyes landed on one she knew would be better. Placing the broom down, she approached and knelt down next to the woman.

"Someone with skin as pale as yours should go with something a little lighter," Minako said as she picked up the product she was eying. Satisfied with her choice after a quick examination, she held out the product to the stranger, "I think this'll be better for you."

"I told you, I'm fine. I don't need-," Rei began irritatedly, but stopped when she turned to look at the insolent woman. Her violet eyes widened as she was met by piercing, sapphire eyes. The woman's blond hair was just as long as her own and shined like the sun. Though it looked soft to the touch, her creamy skin appeared to be softer. Though the stranger's gorgeous appearance played a minor role in breaking Rei's standoffish attitude, what shook Rei to the very core was the aura that was radiating around her, _That aura! It…It can't be!_

_Wow…, _Minako thought in awe, _Violet eyes…where have I seen eyes like that before?_

After a few moments of silence, Minako was the first to break it, "Ummm…sorry, but...h-have we met before? You look..._really_ familiar."

Rei snapped out of her trance and blushed slightly, "N-No, we haven't met before," She said as she averted her gaze to the floor, unable to hold Minako's gaze, "I…I would have _definitely_ remembered you if we did."

Minako blushed at the comment and became a little more confident. She smiled to herself, _Oh, this is going to be fun!_

"Well, like I said, I think this color will be better for how pale your skin is. But even though the color might be good, there's always a chance of putting too much on and making you look like a clown," Minako giggled as she became more comfortable around the stranger, "And with how beautiful you are, I think that would be quite a shame."

Rei continued to blush as she stared at the floor, _What the hell's wrong with me? I can't…I can't even look at her! Kami-sama, is she…is she really-_

"How about we go to my makeup station and I can show you some tricks for how to apply it for your complexion?," Minako offered and she placed the product back on display, interrupting Rei's thoughts, "We can also do some highlighting over the blush and find something for your eyes and lips to complete the look? It's free and I'll also give you a discount if you decide to buy anything." She stood up and began walking towards the makeup stations.

Rei, hearing the stranger shuffle and begin to walk away, was finally able to turn and look in her direction. Minako stopped a couple steps away. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly at Rei. She half-turned to face her and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer.

"Oide, I promise it'll be painless," She said in an inviting melodic tone.

Rei barely made out what Minako was saying due to her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She felt the blood drain from her face as she stared in disbelief at Minako, _Kami-sama! It…It really is her!_

"A-Are you ok?," Minako's asked with concern. Rei nodded slowly as she hesitantly found herself reaching out to take Minako's hand. When their hands touched, Rei expected to feel her soul slowly filling with warmth as she had in her vision.

Unfortunately, she didn't. She sensed the woman's gentle heart and outgoing, carefree nature, but not the warm, enveloping feeling she always had in her vision. Rei's heart sank, _I guess...I guess it isn't her._

Minako gently tugged on Rei's hand to help her stand up. Once the two women were standing face-to-face, Minako noticed that the beautiful woman was a couple inches taller than her. She became lost in the taller woman's intense amethyst eyes and almost forgot what she was doing, _Gods, I could get lost staring into her eyes forever,_ Minako mused. She almost didn't notice that they were still holding hands.

Rei, on the other hand, was _more_ than aware of their physical connection. She could sense Minako's growing fascination through her hand and she found herself flattered by it, _Well, even if she isn't the one, she's still really cute._

"Well then," Minako coughed, remembering she was still working. She reluctantly let go of Rei's hand, "Shall we go over to my station?"

"Mmn," Rei replied, slightly disappointed that Minako had let go of her hand. She followed Minako to her makeup station and Minako gestured for her to sit down as she did will all her customers,

"Have a seat and we'll get started," Minako began, "My name is Aino Minako, what's yours?"

Rei was hesitant to respond. Usually once people heard her name, they recognized her from her promotional ads for her father's company or from archery contests and that's usually when they became annoyingly fawning fans. But she also had too much pride to lie about who she was.

"Hino Rei," Rei replied slowly as she sat down in the chair.

"Nice to meet you, Hino-san," Minako said as she bowed politely, "I look forward to working with you," _Gods!_ _Why the hell does that name sound so familiar!?_, She thought to herself.

Rei was happily surprised, _Whew! She doesn't recognize me!_ She began to relax as Minako turned to her station and pulled out the same color blush she showed Rei earlier.

"So what I'm doing is taking an angled blush brush to pick up some of the makeup," Minako said as she turned back to Rei. She swirled the brush gently over the powdered makeup. Setting the compact down, she began to flick the end of the brush with her fingers, "What this will do is get rid of the excess blush so you don't put on too much. But if you _do_ end up putting too much on, you can always get a beauty blender and roll it over your cheeks lightly to pick up the extras that way," She began applying the blush expertly onto the apple of Rei's cheeks, blending back towards her temples.

Rei listened to what Minako was saying, but was a little distracted by how close the woman's gorgeous face was to her own. She couldn't help but stare at her azure eyes. _Wow…her eyes are captivating!_

"If you wanted to do some highlighting shimmers," Minako continued, "I'd suggest probably a light champagne color and using a highlighting brush to go right over the blush."

Though Rei continued to listen to Minako's suggestions, her gaze had lowered ever so slightly to stare at Minako's alluring lips as she spoke. This didn't go unnoticed by Minako due to their close proximity and Minako smirked slightly,

"So, Hino-san, when you're not out at all hours of the night buying makeup, who are you doing?," Minako asked casually as she finished applying the blush and began applying shimmer over her cheeks.

"I-," Rei began but stopped herself when she registered Minako's question, "Wait, what?"

Minako giggled, "What?," She asked innocently, "I was just asking what you do for a living. Why? Did you hear something else?"

Rei smirked, _Oh, so we're playing like that now, are we?_

_That smirk! I swear I've either met her or seen her somewhere before!,_ Minako racked her brain but couldn't place her finger on it. In the end, she decided to let it go.

"I work in the sports industry," Rei responded in her smooth tone, "Other than that, what I do and _who_ I do is my business," She lowered her voice slightly, "Unless...you're _trying_ to make it yours?"

Minako smirked, _Yep, this is going to be really fun!_

"I understand," Minako replied casually, "I have some…friends…in the fashion industry who like their privacy also," Rei subtly let out a relieved sigh that Minako respected her privacy enough to not push for more information regarding her profession.

"But," Minako continued, "For my profession, I like to make it my business to get to know all my customers so I can help meet their needs. There's different types of makeup techniques people can use for all sorts of occasions so it helps to know what my customers do."

Minako stopped what she was doing and Rei looked at her with questioning eyes. Minako brought her hands down slowly to rest on the armrests of the chair on either side of Rei. Slowly, she leaned in closer, practically pinning Rei to the seat without touching her, her body only inches away from Rei, "And...for customers I find…_especially_ interesting," She said with a seductive whisper as she looked intently into Rei's amethyst eyes, "I take _extra_ care to get to know them. Their likes…dislikes…I make sure that when they leave our store they're…_satisfied_ with my services." She slowly pushed herself away and straightened up. Smiling slyly, she turned towards her station to pick out the perfect eye-shadow palettes for Rei as if nothing happened.

Even without her abilities, Rei could tell that Minako was flirting with her. Unfazed and amused, she continued to play along, "I see. You must be really dedicated to your trade."

"Well, I aim to please," Minako replied casually.

"Tell me then, Aino-san, do you use these lines on _all_ your customers, or just the 'interesting' ones," Rei challenged playfully.

"I have a loose script I follow, yes," Minako replied as she glanced up at the mirror to sneak a glimpse of the woman, "I start with introducing myself, different makeup products and techniques that I think complement my customer's style and occasion. But the conversations I have are all based on the energy and chemistry that organically comes up between me and the person I'm assisting."

She turned to look at Rei directly, "To answer your question, I haven't quite decided yet whether I find you interesting or not to use _any_ sort of 'line' on you, Hino-san," Minako quipped playfully, "But I'm thoroughly enjoying finding out. I'll be putting some eye-shadow on you that will complement your eyes so you'll need to close them for me," She pouted slightly, "I almost don't want to, I like looking at your eyes. They're stunning," She grinned slyly, "But, then again, maybe I like the idea of you not knowing what I'll do once you shut them."

Rei raised an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge? I'd also like to know what you'd do to me if I was helplessly blind."

"Would you, now?" Minako asked in a low voice as she approached Rei, "Well then, close your eyes and find out."

Rei smirked and did as she was told. Minako began gently applying a light gold and light purple from a couple palettes she picked out to go with the shimmer on her cheeks and the color of her eyes, occasionally using her ring finger to smooth the colors together. Rei began focusing her energy on the woman and could see Minako's aura in her mind's eye flickering playfully. She could tell that Minako was enjoying this game they were playing quite a bit. She began concentrating more, reaching out to tap into Minako's thoughts.

_Her lips look so soft. They already have a nice pink color to them so I think a sheer lip gloss will look great,_ Minako thought, _I wonder if we still have any of that sheer, cherry-flavored lip gloss left in stock, _She then smiled to herself slyly,_ I'd love to know what it'd be like to nibble that off those enticing lips!_

Minako's thoughts were interrupted by Rei chuckling softly to herself. Minako straightened, "What's so funny?" She asked curiously.

"Absolutely nothing, Aino-san," Rei said, trying to sound serious, "Please, continue."

Minako raised an eyebrow but continued with her work, "Ok, you can open your eyes now," Minako said as she finished. She stepped back to examine her customer. Rei let her senses relax as she opened her eyes.

"Disappointed that I didn't take advantage of you?," Minako playfully said when she was met with Rei's lavender eyes.

"Maybe," Rei responded with a wink, "Does that mean you find me an uninteresting client?"

"So impatient and eager for answers, Hino-san," Minako coyly replied as she put the eye-shadow compacts away.

"Some of my best traits," Rei quipped.

"Well, like you said, I'm very dedicated to my trade so I like doing a good job," Minako said, "But, I'm also a professional so, of course, I wouldn't make a move on you _while_ I was working," She winked at Rei flirtatiously, pausing to allow the implication to sink in before she continued, "There's something I want to try using on you but I want to see if we have it in stock, I'll be right back." She walked towards the product aisles to the lip gloss section. Rei stayed in the chair and smirked, _She's really going to go look for that, isn't she?_

Minako was a little disappointed to find that they were out of stock of the cherry-flavored gloss and settled on a plain sheer lip gloss instead. Returning to her station, she began opening the bottle, "This sheer gloss will bring the whole look together and finish the look perfectly." She explained as she began applying it to Rei's lips in broad strokes.

"So, while I had my eyes closed, what _were_ you thinking of if you weren't planning on taking advantage of me?," Rei asked mischievously.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know, Hino-san," Minako smiled coyly as she finished up.

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Rei replied confidently.

"Such confidence, Hino-san," Minako said teasingly as she gracefully walked behind the chair and slowly swiveled it so both of them were facing the mirror. They both kept their eyes on each other instead of themselves through the reflection, "Another one of your 'best traits'?"

"One of many," Rei quipped as she smirked.

"Well, take a look and let me know what you think," Minako said, "After that, maybe _I'll_ let you know what _my_ verdict is on _you_."

Rei looked at herself in the mirror and was actually surprised by what she saw and leaned forward a bit to get a closer look. She was not only pleased that Minako managed to avoid having her look ridiculously overdone, she chose the perfect shades and just the right amount of each product to bring out her best features. When it came to having her makeup done, Rei never looked her best.

"Well, Aino-san, I'm very impressed," Rei said as she leaned back into the chair and continued to look at her reflection, "I've had my makeup done quite a number of times, but no one has ever gotten it right until now."

"Like I said, I aim to please," Minako smiled. She leaned forward from behind Rei, bringing her lips close to Rei's ear.

"I shouldn't be saying this because of my profession," She whispered, "But if you ask me, you don't need it. I think your pretty _without_ any makeup on."

"Is that one of your 'lines', Aino-san?," Rei teased seductively, watching Minako in the reflection of the mirror.

"Perhaps," Minako replied just as seductively, looking back at Rei through the mirror, "But if it's any consolation, you're the first person I've ever used it on."

"Does that mean you find me 'especially interesting'?" Rei asked.

Minako giggled softly, "I never said _that_, Hino-san," A delightful shiver went up Rei's spine as she felt Minako's warm breath tickling her neck, _Kami-sama, I could listen to her giggle for hours, _Rei thought.

"I see," Rei replied mischievously, "Is it because you couldn't find any cherry-flavored lip gloss?"

Minako was taken aback. Her eyes widened and she immediately straightened. It was Rei's turn to giggle at Minako's reaction and she gracefully stood up from the chair and walked around it to stand face-to-face with the makeup artist. She lifted her hand and flicked her long black mane behind her shoulder before bringing a finger to her chin, pretending to be deep in thought, "If someone as uninteresting as myself could make you…How did you put it?...Want to nibble cherry-flavored lip gloss off my enticing lips, was it?...Then I'm curious to know what you would do to someone you _did_ find 'especially interesting'."

Minako could only stare back with a mixture of awe, surprise, and disbelief, _How…how did she know?_

"I was born with a gift," Rei explained, answering Minako's unspoken question, "I can naturally sense people's auras and get a feel for their emotions. Sometimes, if I focus enough on someone, I can read their thoughts. I don't often do it because, one, I understand better than anyone the value of privacy and, two, it does take some energy on my part to do it," She took a step towards the smaller woman until they were only inches apart. She brought her hand up and gently brushed Minako's bangs out of her eyes. Minako blushed slightly at the contact as she continued to stare into Rei's amethyst eyes with wonder.

"But, with close proximity or direct contact, it's much easier for me to tap into someone's aura," Rei smiled as her fingers traced lightly down Minako's cheek to her jawline, down the side of her neck, her hand coming to rest on her shoulder. Minako felt a spark inside her from the touch and was finding it a little difficult to breathe, which didn't go unnoticed by Rei who watched her aura flare slightly as she sensed a growing excitement coming from the smaller woman. Rei leaned in closer to bring her lips to Minako's ear, brushing her cheek lightly against Minako's in the process.

"So," Rei whispered softly, "What's your verdict, Aino-san?"

A smile crept up on Minako's lips, "You…fascinate me…Hino-san," she replied breathlessly.

"I'm glad," Rei whispered as she stepped back, "It's getting late, Aino-san. I should really be going."

Minako glanced at the clock above her station, _Wow, 10:00pm already?_ She sighed disappointedly, wishing she could spend more time with the alluring raven-haired woman.

"I don't want to keep you," Rei said with concern, "But I _would_ like to buy the products you used as well as some other items if that's ok?"

"S-Sure, of course," Minako replied, composing herself, "I can help you find the items I used along with the other things you were looking for."

"Sounds good," Rei replied with a smile. Minako led the way through the product aisles as Rei listed the few items she was looking for. Once complete with their search, Minako led Rei to the register and rang up her purchase, providing the promised discount of course, and bagged her items. When Rei pulled out a credit card from her wallet and handed it to Minako to purchase her items, Minako purposefully brushed Rei's hand with her fingertips as she grabbed it from her, causing the taller woman to blush slightly.

"Can I see your I.D. also?," Minako asked innocently. Rei smirked and pulled out her driver's license from her wallet and handed it to Minako who, again, brushed her fingers gently across the back of Rei's hand as she took the item. Rei chuckled softly to herself at Minako's subtle flirting.

Minako examined the I.D. with the credit card, _Wow, she lives there!?, _She thought, recognizing the address of The Incendia, _I've always wanted to see what that place looked like on the inside! I wonder what exactly she does in the sports industry, _She ran the credit card and returned it with the I.D. to the enchanting woman, who smiled slyly and mirrored Minako's maneuver by brushing her fingers along the back of Minako's hand, making Minako smile softly.

Both women couldn't deny the chemistry between them. They stared into each other's eyes as if searching for answers to explain the palpable attraction.

_**Brr...Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!**_

The moment was interrupted by the electronic sound of the credit card machine printing out Rei's receipt and copy. Minako reluctantly broke her gaze from Rei's magnetic, lavender eyes to tear the receipt and its copy from the machine. She laid both small pieces of paper on the counter with a pen in front of Rei, who bent over the counter to sign the receipt. When she finished, she straightened and stuff the copy and her card and I.D. in her wallet. She gracefully grabbed her purchase from the table.

"Thanks for coming," Minako said with a hint of disappointment. She then said hopefully, "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"I hope so," Rei replied with a wink, "Maybe next time you'll have some of that cherry-flavored lip gloss," she teased. Minako blushed and smiled sheepishly. She found herself blushing even more as she watched Rei reach for her hand, which was resting on the counter, and bring it to her lips to place a gentle kiss on the back of her fingers. Rei softly released Minako's hand and looked up into her sapphire eyes, "I had a lovely time. Have a good night, Aino-san."

"Mmn, good night…Hino-san," Minako whispered as she caressed the hand Rei kissed with her other hand. With that, Rei turned and walked out of the store. Once Minako heard the door chime, she allowed herself to collapse into a chair, fanning herself with her hand.

"Wow, that was intense!," Minako said out loud. She smiled, "That was _way_ more fun that I thought it would be! What a great way to end the week!" A thought came to her and she suddenly snapped her fingers and let out a disappointed groan, "Ah, damn it!" Minako was so taken by Rei's sweet action that she had completely forgotten she wanted to ask for Rei's number or at least give the beautiful woman her own, "Well...too late now," She sighed to herself. She shook her head, "Ok, I guess it's time to get the stuff I was missing for tomorrow and close up. At least it's a good thing I finished most of the cleaning before she came in."

She found the broom where she left it near the blushes and quickly finished sweeping the store while picking up the items she needed. She returned to the register to put away the receipt Rei signed and ring herself up. When she picked up the receipt, she did a double-take. Below Rei's elegant signature was…a phone number! Minako smiled widely as she pulled out her cellphone and typed out the number, saving it to her contacts.

"Hino Rei, huh?," Minako said as she looked at the beautiful signature. She grabbed a pen and quickly scratched out the number so that it was illegible to others. After all, Rei mentioned she liked her privacy, right? Putting the receipt away with the rest of the day's receipts, she quickly rang up her purchases and made a mental note to call the beautiful woman the day after tomorrow.

Once she was done, she went to her locker to retrieve her purse. When she opened her locker, she immediately got a radical and bold idea, _Maybe I don't have to wait until Sunday to call her! _She giggled to herself as she collected her things, turned off the lights, locked the front door, and headed to her car. She quickly texted Karin to let her know she was leaving the store, started the car, and zoomed off into the night.

* * *

**Author Note: **One reviewer commented on my extensive use of certain Japanese words in the characters' speech being jarring to read. After thinking about it for a bit, I can see how that could come across so I've edited the previous chapters to get rid of most of them for consistency. There are a couple words I kept because I think it evokes the emotion I want to convey, but for the most part you'll see them more sparingly. I really want this story to be good so I appreciate the feedback!

Another reviewer asked me what 'mataku' means so I've added small translations of words that I kept in the story so far and how I'm using them. As the story progresses, I'll continue to add these into the A/Ns:

**Mou** = [Japanese] An expression of frustration or indignation. Almost like "Geez!" but not exactly.

**Mataku** = [Japanese] An expression of annoyance, hopeless exasperation, or irritated disbelief. Almost like "Good grief!", "For crying out loud!", or "Honestly!" but not exactly.

**Ittekimasu** = [Japanese] "I'm leaving" or "I'm heading out and will be back"

** Tadaima** = [Japanese] "I'm back" or "I'm home"

**Oide** = [Japanese] "Come here" or "Come"

**Yurusenai **= [Japanese] "Unforgivable". Chapter 1 is the only place you'll see this word. Seemed to fit the tone.

I should also mention that I might be using honorifics unconventionally and, most likely, incorrectly. They're only used in this story, or lack thereof, along with either first or last names, to signal how close relationships are between characters. So, in the realm of this story, how they're implemented is considered 'correct' and I hope you please forgive any 'mistakes' I'm sure you'll find when it comes to those! ;)

**-neechan** = [Japanese] honorific, "older sister"

**-san** = [Japanese] honorific, closely analogous to "Mr.", "Miss", "Mrs.", or "Ms."

**-sama** = [Japanese] honorific, a more respectful version of '-san' to refer to someone of much higher-rank

**-kun** = [Japanese] honorific, mostly used to refer to males but it's not a hard rule as it can be used for a close personal friend of any gender

**-chan** = [Japanese] honorific, expresses endearment

**Sempai or -sempai **= [Japanese] roughly translates to "mentor", "senior", or someone with more experience in an organization

Japanese honorifics. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from wiki/Japanese_honorifics

So, as usual, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note:** In celebration of my three-day weekend, I've decided to post Chapter 5 and 6 this week!

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Haywood, D., Kear, J., Kelley, C., and Scott, H. (2009). _Need You Now_ [Recorded by Lady Antebellum]. On Need You Now [CD], Nashville, Tennessee: Capitol Records Nashville.

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

"Tadaima," Rei called out to her empty condo with a little more energy than usual. Though she was exhausted from her day's activities, she couldn't stop smiling ever since she left Kirei, "Well, _that_ was an interesting turn of events," she giggled to herself. Usually reserved with strangers, she surprised herself by how bold she was with the gorgeous makeup artist. She began wondering if she had perhaps focused _too_ much of her energy on Haruka earlier that day and absorbed some of her flirtatious charm, _I really need to remember to thank Haruka tomorrow for making me go to the tailor shop!_

She removed her shoes neatly next to the door and brought Haruka's outfit and her purchase from Kirei into her bedroom. She hung Haruka's garment bag carefully on a hook behind the bedroom door next to her own outfit, which was in its own garment bag. Turning to her suitcase, she quickly packed the makeup products she purchased and placed her suitcase next to the bedroom door and ready for her trip tomorrow. Once complete with these tasks, she changed into her pajamas, which consisted of a red t-shirt and black satin pants, and began getting ready for bed.

_It's too bad, _Rei thought as she was wiping the makeup off her face in the bathroom, _She actually did a really great job._ She smiled when she remembered kissing the blond woman's hand and seeing her blush,_ I really hope she calls me!_

She paused at that thought, _Oh! That reminds me, I should call Grandpa to see if I can go visit soon!_

She quickly finished removing the makeup and went to her nightstand where her cellphone was plugged in. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she grabbed her cellphone and flipped it open. She bit her lip nervously, _I hope it's not too late to call. _She pressed a few keys before bringing the phone up to her ear.

**_Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…_**

Rei shuffled back on the bed so she could pull her knees to her chest as she listened to the ringback tone on her cellphone.

**_Brrrrrrrp…Click!_**

"Hello?," A raspy and kind voice answered the phone. Rei's eyes brightened immediately at the sound and she smiled widely.

"Hi, Grandpa," Rei replied warmly, "Sorry I'm calling so late. Did I wake you?"

"Of course not, my dear Reiko," her grandpa replied with a chuckle, "I had a sense earlier today that you would be calling around this time so I was waiting for you."

"Of course," Rei smirked as she rolled her eyes, feeling absurd for her earlier nervousness of possibly disturbing her grandpa. Though Rei's abilities were far beyond her mother's and her grandpa's, he was _still_ the one who trained her after all, "That was silly of me to ask."

"So, what can I do for my beloved granddaughter that she couldn't wait to call me this late at night?," her grandpa asked teasingly in a kind manner.

"Well, I was able to get some time off," Rei replied cheerfully, brushing off her grandpa's teasing, "And I was wondering if I could come visit you for a while sometime this coming week? I really miss you and I miss being home."

Silence followed Rei's words from the other line. Rei immediately turned to concern, "H-Hello? Grandpa? Are you still there?"

"O-Oh!," her grandpa replied with slight surprise, "My apologies, dear Reiko, I thought you were going to continue."

"Oh," Rei replied with slight bewilderment, "No, that was it, Grandpa."

"…Are you _sure_, Reiko?," her grandpa asked, a mischievous tone underlying his question.

Rei suddenly began to feel her face flush, _Kami-sama! If he knew I was going to call tonight, does that…does that mean he also knows about Ain-_

"How about the twins?," her grandpa asked innocently, interrupting Rei's thoughts, "They've been coming by every day looking for you. Don't you miss them too?"

"O-Oh," Rei replied as she registered her grandpa's comment. She released a subtle breath of relief before clearing her throat, "Y-Yes. Yes, of course, I miss them, Grandpa. How are they?"

"They're doing very well, granddaughter," her grandpa replied, a smile evident in his voice, "They're such sweet girls. They usually come by in the morning to help me clean up the place before we open."

"Good, I'm happy to hear that," Rei replied with a smile as she imagined the twins helping out around the shrine, "Tell them I can't wait to see them."

"I will, my dear," her grandpa said, "So, next week you said?," he replied, returning to their previous conversation, "Hmm…Next week…doesn't seem to be…so convenient. Perhaps the week after? Say…Wednesday afternoon through Sunday?"

Rei was taken aback. Usually her grandpa was more than happy to have her come visit whenever she pleased, but raised her to have the etiquette of at least calling to let him know she was coming. It was odd to hear him decline or delay a visit.

"Would that be ok with your schedule, Reiko?," her grandpa asked, snapping Rei out of her puzzlement.

"Oh! U-Umm...sure. Yeah, sure, no problem. That sounds good, Grandpa," Rei replied quickly, "Hey, Grandpa. Is…Is everything ok?," she asked with concern and a hint of suspicion.

"Of course, Reiko," her grandpa replied reassuringly with a cheerful tone, "Everything is as it should be," Rei raised an eyebrow at her grandpa's peculiar choice of words, "So I'll see you the week after next?"

"M-Mmn," Rei replied. She shrugged and decided to let her suspicions go. She smiled warmly, "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Me too, my dear," her grandpa replied lovingly, "Sleep well, Reiko. I love you very much."

"Mmn, I love you, too," Rei replied, "Good night, Grandpa." She was about to bring the phone away from her ear and hang up when-

"Oh, and Reiko?," her grandpa said suddenly.

"Y-Yes, Grandpa?," Rei replied quickly with concern, bringing the phone back to her ear.

"I might need some help around the shrine while you're here so feel free to invite a close friend to come with you to help if you'd like, ok? Good night!," Her grandpa said quickly with a hint of mischief. She heard him chuckle before the line went dead.

Rei pulled the device away from her ear and stared at it as if it were some foreign object she'd never seen before, _What the hell was that all about? _She shook her head and closed her cellphone,_ Mataku, sometimes Grandpa can be so weird!_

* * *

Minako parked her car in a designated guest-parking spot and walked through the large, sliding-glass doors of The Incendia. If she thought the outside of the complex was extravagant, she was blown away by the inside.

The foyer had a clean, off-white colored wallpaper with a subtle, delicate, metallic-gold pattern that only revealed itself as one walked by and the light danced along its details. Circular in shape, the expansive room was floored with polished travertine. A wide strip of red carpet bisected the lobby length-wise and width-wise, forming a cross on the floor. In the middle of the red cross was a very large, round table made of dark wood, topped with black marble. A tall vase full of fresh, white Calla lilies stood in the center of the table. Above the table was a large, elegant Victorian chandelier that glowed brightly, illuminating the lobby.

The four areas of the travertine floor that were not covered with carpet each had an overstuffed, leather couch, two matching club chairs, and a low coffee table that was of the same design as the round table in the center of the room.

Minako's mouth was open in awe as her azure eyes took in the splendor of the extravagant foyer. She walked slowly towards the center of the lobby, following the red carpet, to the circular table in the center of the room. As she slowly walked around the table, she noticed the red carpeting behind it continued up a short set of travertine stairs and through a wide archway that led to a smaller, adjacent room and ended at the foot of an ornate elevator with gold doors.

She walked up the stairs into the smaller room and found gold, cluster-style mailboxes, lining both the left and right walls of the room. She quickly scanned them until she found what she was looking for: On the left wall, on one of the lower-right mailboxes closest to the elevator, the name 'Hino' was neatly printed on it with the number 859.

_Wow, the top floor!?, _Minako thought, guessing correctly the first number stood for the floor and the last two stood for the condo number. Minako smiled as she pressed the call button for the elevator.

* * *

**_- It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now. And I said I wouldn't call, but I'm a little drunk and I need you now. And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now. -  
_**

Rei's online radio station was streaming softly overhead as she sat in bed, her bottom-half under the blankets while her upper-half was leaned against her plush pillows. She liked having music on as background noise to keep herself company in her quiet condo.

But, right now, Rei had her eyes trained intently on the pages of a manga and was heavily engrossed in the story. After the odd conversation with her grandpa, Rei decided to take her mind off of it by read for a bit to relax before going to sleep. Instead, she got completely caught up in the story. Just as she was about to turn the page...she felt something. Lifting her intense eyes from her manga, she narrowed them slightly, _Someone's headed this way._

Though she had exhausted most of her energy on the day's events, she set the book down in her lap and closed her eyes, reached out to examine the approaching person's aura to see if she might be in any danger. After all, she'd already given her security detail time off and was on her own until Sunday. If she needed to contact Nobuo for help, she would need as much time as possible to do so.

With what little energy she had left, she sensed the presence walk down the hallway and head towards her door. As the presence neared her front door, she finally began picking up a familiar aura signature. Her eyes shot open, adrenaline began coursing through her veins as only one thought entered her mind, _Holy shit!_

She quickly flung a drawer open on her nightstand and threw her manga into it. She fumbled with the white remote and pressed a button, abruptly ending the music, and threw it into the drawer with her manga and slammed it shut loudly. Scrambling out of bed and on to her feet, she hastily approached her front door. Once there, she paused for a second to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. Tentatively, she opened the door and found a surprised blond woman on the other side with her fist raised in the air as if about to knock on the door.

"A-Aino-san!," Rei exclaimed with surprise a little louder that she meant to.

Minako was surprised at first to see the door open before she was able to knock. But when she was met with Rei's lavender eyes, she froze, mesmerized by the woman's gaze, her heartbeat doubling in pace.

"Aino-san? A-Are you ok?," Rei asked. Minako blinked and shook her head slightly.

"Y-Yeah…Sorry!," Minako said as she tried to compose herself, "I'm fine. Umm…Sorry, I…I wanted to say...thank you…for making my last day…memorable."

"'Last day?'," Rei repeated in a confused tone, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, today was my last day as head makeup artist," Minako explained sheepishly, "I got promoted earlier today and I'll be one of the managers of the store starting Monday," She held up the velvet pouch for Rei to see, "All of my friends are busy tonight and I really wanted to celebrate. I know it's late, and…and I know it might sound silly, but…but since you were my last customer, I wanted to see if you'd…celebrate with me?"

Rei eyed the pouch and Minako blankly, taking in the information. A smirk slowly played across her lips, "I guess I can stay up for a bit. I don't have anything to do in the morning." She opened the door wider as a signal for Minako to come in.

* * *

**Author Note:** Yes, a small chapter, I know.

I'm not sure if you can tell by now, but I have a tendency to be detail-oriented. I also like when things have meaning or purpose. So, on that note...

_Fun Fact:_ Hold your hands out on front of you with your finger's spread (go ahead, try it!). If you count off the alphabet on your fingers, starting from left to right, you'll find that you'll cover the letters A through J of the alphabet, with the first finger on the left being A and the tenth finger on the right being J. If you count off again from left to right, but this time starting with the next letter, K, you'll find that you'll cover the letters K through T, with the first finger on the left being K and the tenth finger on the right being T, etc. Use this to try and decode why Rei's condo is numbered that way. =D

You'll see this happen a couple times in the story where I have to come up with random numbers for things. I wonder how many of you will figure them out? ^_^

PS - This is a really good trick to use when you need to make up a numeric lock combination. ^_^

Anyways, onward to Chapter 6 and constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Note:** And here is Chapter 6!

**Ecchi** = [Japanese] A slang for "dirty" or "naughty"

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

Once inside, Minako took off her shoes and placed them neatly to the side while Rei closed and locked the door.

"So, do you make it a habit of memorizing clients' addresses, Aino-san?," Rei asked with a teasing smirk.

"Please, I'm not at work anymore. Call me Minako," Minako replied, "And, no, this is a first for me so you should feel very special, Hino-san," she added coyly with a wink.

"Rei, please," Rei said as she approached the intriguing blond, "And, yes, I do feel special. It's definitely a pleasant surprise."

"Not much of a surprise if you knew I was coming," Minako said sarcastically with a playful tone.

"Well, usually towards the end of the day, my ability to focus or control my senses weakens," Rei explained, "I felt a presence coming but I wasn't able to pick up that it was you until you were near my door."

"That's still pretty impressive, Rei-chan," Minako complemented matter-of-factly as she held up the velvet pouch to Rei.

_Rei…chan?, _Rei noted to herself with a raised eyebrow. In all her 22 years, no one has ever referred to her with _that_ honorific before. But she found herself quickly taking a liking to it since it was coming from the gorgeous blonde. She shrugged and took the velvet pouch Minako offered and pulled out the bottle.

"It was a gift from a friend," Minako explained, "I've never had it before, but I heard it's good."

"It is. Your friend has good taste," Rei said, examining the bottle in her hands, "It's actually one of my favorites also. I'll put it in the freezer so it can chill and we can enjoy it in a bit. Please, come in."

Minako followed Rei into the living room and was pleasantly surprised to find Rei's place simple and modest, save a huge television over her fireplace that seemed oddly out of place while, simultaneously, fitting right in. She leaned against the breakfast bar of the kitchen while Rei went to the fridge and put the bottle in the freezer. Minako admired the raven-haired woman from behind and the way she moved her body so smoothly and elegantly. Minako continued to study her as Rei shuffled to the left and pulled out two, ceramic sake cups from a cabinet.

"So," Minako said once Rei had turned around and set the cups out on the breakfast bar in preparation, "Can you show me around?"

"Umm...sure," Rei said hesitantly, "I mean, there's not really much to show. This is the kitchen and...behind you is the living room," She then gestured to her left and followed the room along the wall, clockwise, as Minako followed her explanations and looked around the condo from where she stood, "That's the dining room...balcony...that door to the right of the fireplace is my bedroom...guest bathroom...my office...and the door in the entry-way near the front door is the laundry room."

"You have a really nice place," Minako nodded once Rei finished. Returning her inviting, cobalt gaze to the taller woman, she said in a low, suggestive tone, "Would you mind…showing me your bedroom? I'd _really_ like to see it."

Rei's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as her heart began racing nervously. Being a private person by nature and partially due to her career, not only was this the first time she allowed anyone other than those she considered family into her place, it was the first time anyone she found _remotely attractive_ was in her place, _And she's asking to see my bedroom!? Shit! What the fuck do I do!?_

Minako, seeing the slight panic in Rei's eyes, let out a small, melodic giggle, "Don't worry so much, Rei-chan!," she teased, "I just want to see your place, that's all. What were _you_ thinking, ecchi?"

Rei, realizing she was again the butt of Minako's teasing, was relieved and subtly released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She quickly recovered and, feigning annoyance, flicked her hair with her hand and began marching confidently towards her bedroom, "Whatever, it's just a bedroom. Nothing special." Minako giggled at Rei's attempt to act nonchalant and found it to be absolutely adorable. She quickly followed the beautiful woman for the bedroom tour.

* * *

Given the décor of the rest of the condo, Minako was surprised to see the massive, four-poster bed in the bedroom, _I don't remember seeing anything other than women's shoes near the_ _door_, She thought to herself, _Hmm...I wonder…_

"Wow, your bed is huge! It looks so comfy," She said cheerfully as she quickly left Rei's side and walked over to sit down casually on the edge of the bed, "It's really soft, too!," she said as she looked towards Rei, who had crossed her arms and was calmly leaning against the doorway. Though her exterior was calm, Minako could see a hint of nervousness in her intense, amethyst eyes that were trained on Minako warily.

"So, would your boyfriend be upset that another girl was in your bed, or would he be into that?," Minako asked teasingly.

Rei rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Though men are generally tolerable, I find them to be _highly_ irritating."

"I see," Minako replied as she giggled at Rei's reaction. She smiled inwardly, _Well, at least I can check 'boyfriend' off the list! But such hostility! I wonder if she had a bad breakup with some jerk or something recently_, "Ok then, how about your girlfriend?," She continued to tease playfully, "She'd probably throw a fit knowing you let a gorgeous blonde into your bedroom, huh?"

At this, Rei blushed slightly and suddenly found the floor interesting to look at.

_Oh no, _Minako thought as her heart sank. Though she was known for shamelessly flirting and enjoyed the company of men and women alike, she _did_ have moral standards and being 'the other woman' or a 'home-wrecker' was definitely _not_ one of them. She sighed disappointedly, _Of course she'd have a girlfriend. How would anyone as beautiful as her not?, _She stood up, intending to apologize to Rei for coming over and say she should be heading home.

"I-I…," Rei managed to utter through her embarrassment as she continued to look at the floor, catching Minako's attention, "I don't…I don't have a girlfriend."

"…O-Oh?," Minako attempted to go for 'surprised' since she was having a hard time hiding her elation over this new piece of information, _Sweet! Game on!_

Regaining her confidence, Minako softly cleared her throat and composed herself. She sauntered towards Rei and placed a finger below her chin, tilting her head up until their eyes met, "I find that really hard to believe, Rei-chan."

Rei could only stare into the oceans of sapphire that were only inches from her, almost hypnotized by their beauty, until a realization came to her. Was it just her imagination or was Minako…moving closer? Her eyes widened ever so slightly as Minako slowly tilted her head to the side, her eyes slowly closing as she moved closer. Rei's heart began pounding in her ears and her breath became shallow.

At the last second, Minako avoided Rei's lips and, instead, went to her ear, "I think the sake's ready now," Minako whispered. She giggled softly as she stepped back from the flushed taller woman.

After a few seconds, Rei caught her breath and smirked as she shook her head, "You are _such_ a tease," she said to the blonde who was still giggling to herself.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rei-chan," Minako said innocently as she stuck her tongue out playfully at Rei, "But if I _was_ teasing you, I think it would be really fun. You're really cute when you blush."

"M-Mou, Minako!," Rei couldn't help but whine with slight exasperation. She knew people called her many things: attractive, cold to most, graceful, athletic_…But cute!? _Rei huffed at Minako's teasing and turned to head towards the kitchen, _Mataku, this woman! We just met and she already knows how to push my buttons!, _Rei smiled slightly to herself though, unable to deny that she was actually enjoying the gorgeous blonde's company and not just her looks.

A pair of arms gently wrapped around Rei's midsection from behind. Rei hesitated as she felt the smaller woman press up against her back in a soft embrace, resting her head on her shoulder. Rei could only stare distantly forward, eyes wide and glazed over as Minako's intense orange-gold aura coursed through her with a soft warmth of...Honesty? Sincerity? She was becoming lost in the warm emotions that were being emitted from Minako's heart, _It…It almost feels like her warmth_, Rei absently thought to herself before falling into it, surrendering to its intensity._  
_

Minako smiled as she noted that Rei didn't use an honorific on her name. She had always had an honorific attached to her name, no matter how close the person was to her. Even her sister, her _twin_ sister, called her 'Mina-chan' their 21 years together. She found herself liking the sound of her full name, free from social regulations, especially coming from Rei's smooth voice.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Minako said kindly, "I didn't mean to make you upset. I know I sometimes have a tendency to tease too hard. But I really mean it, you're cute when you blush. It makes you seem…human. I mean, what I'm trying to say is you're so beautiful that it's almost unreal. I…I kind of like seeing that side of you."

It was Minako's turn to blush slightly. Her usual m.o. was teasing and flirting and usually never shared her feelings so honestly and openly unless it was with those closest to her like her sister or Karin,_ Huh...I wonder where that came from, _she causally though to herself. Though she was slightly perplexed by her actions, it felt…right…so very right. As she embraced the taller woman, she noted how their bodies fit together so perfectly, almost as if they were made for each other. They stayed that way for a little bit until Minako felt something wet hit her arm.

"Rei-chan?," Minako asked. She quickly released the taller woman who stumbled forward as if just catching herself from tripping.

"Rei-chan! Are you ok?," Minako asked with worry. She quickly grabbed Rei's shoulder to help steady her and felt the taller woman stiffen. She stepped around to look at Rei and was surprised to find a wet trail leading from one of Rei's violet eyes down her cheek, "Rei-chan! What's wrong!? Did I-," Minako was silenced by a finger Rei brought up to rest lightly on her lips.

Minako was shocked when she finally took in Rei's appearance. Rei's eyes were dull and slightly glazed as she looked blankly at the smaller woman. But even then, Minako could see something deep within them. It was almost as if Rei was struggling somehow to fight the haziness from her eyes.

Rei slowly brought up her free hand and rested it on the hand Minako had placed on her shoulder. Gently, Rei slid Minako's hand off her shoulder. Almost immediately after Minako's hand was removed, Rei closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She shook her head slightly and opened her eyes again to look at the blonde. The haziness had disappeared and her eyes returned to their intense, amethyst color. A soft smile pulled at the corners of Rei's lips as she slowly allowed her finger to fall from Minako's lips.

"What…What happened?," Minako whispered with concern.

"You," Rei said softly, "You…happened to me."

Minako looked at Rei with a mix of worry and confusion. Rei took a breath and let it out slowly. A small chuckle followed as she brought her hand up to wipe the wetness from her cheek and rub her eyes, "Wow...that was like a perfect storm of coincidences," she said mostly to herself.

"Rei-chan?," Minako said cautiously, "I don't understand."

"Sorry," Rei replied, "Umm...Remember how I told you that close proximity or direct contact allows me to tap into someone's aura easily?," Minako nodded, recalling the conversation they had at Kirei.

"Well, when it comes to direct contact," Rei continued, "The wider the area of contact, the more intense the connection is between me and someone's aura. Usually I can still function while it's happening and I still have my own thoughts and emotions, but I also end up experiencing the emotions of the other person in addition to my own. Sometimes it can get really overwhelming and draining for me. When it comes to new people I just meet, their aura's are _especially_ strong for me and I need time to adjust to them. Because of that, I don't usually allow others to get that close to me. I mean, a hand resting on my shoulder or something like that at first is ok while I adjust to someone new."

Rei blinked a few times once she was finished rubbing her eyes and looked up as if deep in thought, "How do I explain it? It's almost like…trying to get into a steaming hot tub. If you just jump in, you could burn yourself. But if you slowly get in, you body can adjust to the temperature."

Her gaze returned to the smaller woman and she smiled softly, "So, because you hugged me and we just met, the connection was intense from the start. And it just so happens that your aura is…_especially_ intense. On top of that, because it's late I couldn't really control myself. So, while you were hugging me, I couldn't help but…fall into you, so to speak, and I got…caught up in you."

She averted her gaze to the floor and scratched her cheek absently, "When you let go and put your hand on my shoulder after that, the connection was still intense enough that even _that_ was overwhelming. So, I had to break it to come back to myself," She smiled apologetically as she looked at Minako sheepishly, "I don't know if any of that made sense. But, anyway, I'm sorry for scaring you and brushing your hand away."

"N-No…_I'm_ the one who should be apologizing, Rei-chan," Minako said in a concerned tone, "I'm really sorry, I…I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't, Minako. How could you?," Rei said comfortingly, "Don't be sorry, please. I…I actually really _enjoyed_ feeling your aura. It was nice, just…intense." _Mesmerizing, actually. Like freefalling into warm sunlight, _Rei thought fondly.

"But I…I hurt you...I made you cry," Minako said as she bit her lip and hung her head guiltily. She heard Rei take a deep breath and felt a hand gently caress her cheek. Minako's eyes widened and quickly looked up at Rei with concern. Rei's eyes were closed tightly, her brow was furrowed, and she was taking slow and deep breaths.

"Guilt…sadness…concern…fear," Rei whispering softly in between breaths. Minako was confused at first but then it quickly dawned on her: Rei was vocalizing _Minako's _emotions, "Confusion…realization…," Minako's eyes softened as she watched the beautiful, raven-haired woman's face begin to calm and relax. She closed her eyes and leaned into Rei's touch, focusing on Rei's hand. Though Minako couldn't see it, a smile crept on Rei's face, "Understanding…compassion…kindness." Rei reluctantly let her hand drop slowly from Minako's face. Both women opened their eyes at the same time.

"Looks like you understand how it works," Rei said with a soft smile. She spoke slowly, trying to formulate words to explain herself, "Yes, I did tear up from our connection, but…they weren't tears of sadness. Actually, I was…touched by what you said…and what you were feeling. The tears just came on their own."

"Mmn," Minako said softly, "I think I get it now." She smiled sincerely, "You really _are_ fascinating, Rei-chan."

"I'm glad you think so," Rei replied with a hint of flirtation, "Because I find you exquisitely intriguing. Come, let's continue in the kitchen. I'd like to get to know _you_ more…Minako."

"Mmn," Minako nodded. She followed Rei to the kitchen where Rei grabbed the now chilled bottle from the freezer and the two sake cups from the breakfast bar. The two women situated themselves at a corner of the dining room table, toasted, and began getting to know each other.

* * *

**Author Note:** Another fairly small chapter.**  
**

This entire scene in Rei's condo is pretty long. Chapter 5 and 6 seemed to be easy, natural break-points for chapters even though it did end up making the chapters kind of small. But, with the rest of the scene, I keep debating whether to post it as one large chapter or break it into chunks over a few chapters. I've been going back and forth on it for a few weeks now on how I want to present it. On one hand, I think breaking it up would make it easier to read and digest since most of it will be explanatory information. I'm leaning towards that idea more. On the other hand, I worry about having unnatural breaks between chapters and hurting the flow of the story.

I guess we'll see how it goes. I think I'll try breaking it up for now and if I get feedback that it might be best to combine them I'll go back and update the story in that fashion.

So, for now, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note:** Fairly sudden, but just found out I'll be out of town and won't be able to write that much this week or post a chapter for this coming week. So posting another chapter as a bonus to make up for the lack of one next week and buy some time for me to write some more once I get back.

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

Minako started by sharing that her father, who was Finnish, was where she got her blonde hair, blue eyes, and last name. But that was the extent of his involvement as he married her mother and left her shortly thereafter, pregnant with a set of twins.

"Men suck," Rei scoffed, "I wish _my_ father was out of my life." Her eyes widened when she realized what she just said, "S-Sorry! That was _really_ insensitive of me! I didn't mean-"

"No, no, it's ok," Minako replied reassuringly, waving her hands in front of her as if waving away Rei's concern, "I never knew him so it doesn't bother me that he wasn't there. I don't think I missed anything by not having a dad."

"M-Mmn," Rei replied. Her gaze fell to her hand which was on the table, fiddling aimlessly with her sake cup, "My…Mama…she passed away from an illness when I was four."

"Oh, wow," Minako replied sympathetically, "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok," Rei shrugged, "It was a long time ago…I still miss her though."

"Of course," Minako said comfortingly.

"I don't really remember her that much," Rei continued as if almost talking to herself or to the inanimate sake cup in her hand, "People tell me that I look like her, but with black hair since she was a blunette. But what I really remember about her was her aura. It was always so…loving...so warm. When she would hold me, it was like...I would _know_ everything would be ok," She turned to look at Minako with musing lavender eyes, "Her colors were so radiant."

Minako looked at Rei with confusion, "'Colors'? What do you mean?"

Rei chuckled and shook her head, pulling herself out of her musings, "Sorry, sometimes I forget that others can't see them. When I look at someone, I see their aura as a glow of light around their body and that's how I can read emotions. Everyone's aura gives off a different color that's unique to them. Grandpa always told me mine was a flame-red color so it's always been my favorite color since then. Mama's was always a golden-orange color."

"Wow," Minako said with intrigue, "That's really cool! So, when you look at me, what color is my aura?"

Rei smiled shyly as she looked into Minako's cerulean eyes, "Beautiful."

Minako blushed and averted her gaze, flattered by Rei's sincerity and honesty.

"Yours is…actually really similar to Mama's," Rei replied with a hint of surprise. She tilted her head slightly as she examined Minako's colors, "I've never met anyone that had a similar aura signature to her before. But yours is kind of more of an orange-gold color. It's really…comforting. "

Minako felt butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't help but become shy between the raven-haired woman's intense gaze and her honest words. She cleared her throat a little, "S-She sounds like a wonderful person."

"She was, from what I remember," Rei said. Both sat in silence for a few seconds, starting at their cups.

"My mother...died in a car accident during my second year of college," Minako said, breaking the silence. Rei's brought her empathetic gaze to Minako, who continued staring at her sake cup, "She always worked really hard, sometimes two to three jobs at a time to support Usa-neechan and me. Almost every day she was out working from 5:00am to sometimes 12:00am so Usa-neechan was kind of like my mom while I was growing up and we became really close."

She chuckled softly, "She's always fussing over me. Sometimes it's a little much, but I know it's because she loves me."

Minako sighed, "I knew that Mom loved us and worked so hard because she cared and wanted the best for us. But...sometimes it felt like we didn't even _have_ a mom. It was always just the two of us."

She shook her head and smiled softly, "But we made it work and we had lots of fun together. We always supported each other in anything we did. So when Mom passed away, Usa-neechan and I had to find jobs to cover college tuition and expenses. She was able to land a fairly good job and was supporting me for a while until I started working part-time at Kirei. After working there for the first week, I found I was really good and I really liked working there. So I changed my major to Marketing and Advertising and helped to promote the store. I also began doing cosmetology school at the same time as going to college and working so I could get promoted and not burden Usa-neechan. It was a lot of work, but I figured since my mom was able to work so hard, I could too, right?"

She brought her sapphire gaze up to look at Rei as she smiled widely, "A year later after I finished cosmetology school I was promoted to head makeup artist and given a full-time position so I could pay for my last year of college on my own. I was pretty stoked about that."

As Rei listened intently to Minako, she found herself admiring the gorgeous blonde. Her positive energy seemed to bring life and light to her lonely, dark condo, _She's gone through so much and yet she still has so much optimism in her aura. __I want to see her smile like this all the time._

"And now look at me," Minako giggled, "'Morning Manager'...I still can't believe it. So even though I was really sad when Mom passed away, Usa-neechan always told me that things happen for a reason," She blushed slightly, "I think if...if I didn't need to start working at Kirei…I might…I might not have ever met you."

It was Rei's turn to become shy. Minako was so sweet and had the purest heart of anyone she had ever known. She felt butterflies in her stomach under Minako's soft gaze.

"I-I see," Rei said as she cleared her throat a little, trying to compose herself, "S-So, where's your sister now?," She said, trying to change the subject.

"She lives here in Tokyo, but she travels a lot for work so I don't get to see her as much as I want. But we talk as often as we can," Minako replied. Even though Usagi was usually the mother-hen of the two, Minako was really protective of Usagi's privacy. She quickly changed the subject to avoid having Rei ask anything more about her sister, "How about you? Do you have any siblings?"

"No…well, kinda…," Rei began, "I was an only child, but my father had this college friend who later became a business colleague. He had an only child who's three years older than me. We practically grew up together and she's my best friends so I like to think of her as my older sister," Rei paused as she thought about it and giggled, "Actually, I think she's more like an older brother than sister. She's kind of a jock. Mama also had this high school friend who would come by all the time. She had an only child, too, who would hang out with me and my best friend pretty often. They're the same age. _She's_ more like an older sister."

"So what're they up to nowadays?" Minako asked with interest.

"They actually started dating in high school and have been together ever since," Rei replied with a smile, her gaze a little distant as she thought of Haruka and Michiru's journey, "My best friend's father passed away a few years ago so she took over his…business. She travels a lot for work, too, but we call each other all the time. My other friend, her partner, is…in the arts," Rei kept it vague, not wanting to out the fact that her best friend was Tenoh Haruka, daughter of Tenoh Sho, the first Japanese race car driver to make it big internationally in the sport and that her partner was Kaioh Michiru, the world-renouned prodigy violinist and painter. She casually steered the conversation away from her famous friends.

"My best friend knows about my abilities, but her partner and my grandfather are the only ones who _really_ understand my abilities. When I was younger, I thought everyone was like me and could see and do what I could. Grandpa was the one who told me that I had a gift that was special to our family. He has it and so did my mom, but I guess mine is a lot stronger than theirs from what he's told me. He trained me while I was growing up to understand it, control it, and use it. Since then, I've mostly kept it to myself because the kids at school thought I was a freak and would call me 'strange' or 'weird' when I told them I had special abilities. Plus, because of the whole 'connection via proximity' thing, I just tended to…distance myself from people." She looked at Minako shyly, "That is, until you."

Minako smiled and looked away bashfully as Rei chuckled to herself, "It feels kind of weird talking about it with someone other than my grandpa and my best friend and her partner."

Minako looked at Rei with concern as she smiled sincerely, "I really appreciate that you're sharing all this with me and I hope you know that I respect the fact you want to keep it secret. I don't think you're a freak at all. I actually think it's really cool. But I don't want you to force yourself or feel like you _have_ to tell me these things if you don't feel comfortable talking about it."

"No, no, it's fine," Rei said reassuringly, "It's nice being able to be myself and not hide it. Besides, I know I can trust you." Rei didn't want to mention that she sensed Minako's protectiveness for her sister and knew Minako was someone who could be trusted when it came to privacy.

"Do you mind if I ask about your grandfather?," Minako asked tentatively, "I never knew my grandparents, but you sound really close to your grandfather. Was he around a lot while you were growing up?"

"He raised me after my mother passed away," Rei replied, "He's the head priest at the Hikawa Shrine so I was raised as a miko out there. He practically saved my life. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have him."

"Whoa, really!? You were a miko!? I would have never guessed! That's so cool!" Minako exclaimed, she quickly blushed crimson, "S-Sorry about that," she said sheepishly regarding her outburst.

Rei chuckled amusingly in response, "I've never had _that_ reaction before. Most people just think it's odd."

"Can you do, like, readings and fortune-telling and stuff?," Minako asked with intrigue.

"Yeah, I can," Rei replied proudly, "Because of my abilities, I was pretty good at it. Fire is my specialty, but I haven't done any serious readings since high school. Grandpa also trained me in martial arts and…," Rei caught herself before she said 'archery'. If Minako hadn't recognized her up until now, she most definitely would have if Rei made that connection for her, "…and I really miss the simplicity of that lifestyle."

Rei's face fell as her eyes began to swirl with a mix of sadness and anger, "But…," she paused.

"But?," Minako probed gently, seeing the change in Rei's demeanor. Rei took a breath, trying to rein in her emotions,

"But my sorry excuse of a father had to have his way," Rei said in a low voice, "When Mama passed away, he was too busy working at his _precious_ company to even come back for the funeral or take care of his only daughter. That's the reason why my grandfather raised me. The only thing my father did was send checks once a month. He didn't even send a note, like I was some bill or obligation. I didn't want to have to depend on my father's stupid money or be a burden on Grandpa so when I entered high school I…got a job…to help support myself and I would send his checks back," Rei didn't want to mention that the 'job' she got was doing archery competitions where she would use the prize money to support herself and pay for her private high school tuition so she could attend the same school her mother attended.

"I got into college on a sports scholarship that would help me pay for tuition," Rei continued, "I always dreamed of majoring in Religious Studies and, someday, taking over the shrine as head priestess. I saved enough money to pay for school supplies, books, and living expenses in the city to attend, but then Grandpa got really sick and had to be hospitalized for a while. The bills for that were...crushing. With that and the regular bills for the shrine, we ran out of money pretty quickly and were...drowning in debt. We were so close to losing the shrine. On top of that, Grandpa need at least half a year's worth of at-home care before he would be able to take care of himself again. So I…,"

Rei's hands balled into fists in her lap. Minako watched with a mix of concern and fear as Rei's eyes began tinting to an indigo color, "It was so..._humiliating_. There I was...in front of that loathsome man...asking for help. And, of course, in true, sleazy, businessman fashion, he wrote up a contract. A _fucking _contract! For _his_ _own_ _daughter_! It guaranteed that he would pay for Grandpa's hospital bills, the bills for the shrine, the live-in nurse that he would need while he was recovering, everything. He would even take care of anything I would need to attend college. But, in exchange, he would own the shrine and I would have to do what he wanted or he would tear it down and sell the property. It stipulated that I would have to major in Business and do promotional work for the company during my time in college. He also added in there that all my personal finances and any money I would make from then on would be considered company finances, not my own, so I would be forced to depend on him and wouldn't try to cut him out of my life like I did before. And, after I graduate, I'm supposed to take over the family business to 'continue paying off my loan' for him saving the shrine and Grandpa."

Her eyes narrowed, her voice lowered to a dangerous tone, "I...nearly...lost it on him. The company that took him away, the one he chose over Mama, over me, I'd not only be _working_ for it, but eventually _running_ it! It...It made me sick!"

Hopelessness seemed to wash over Rei as she relaxed her hands from being balled tightly for so long. Her voice was nearly a whisper, "But...but I had no other choice. I needed the money...Grandpa needed care and I...I need to...save our home. So…I signed it."

Her eyes returned to their amethyst color and were filled with a haunting sadness as she stared into the distance at nothing in particular, "It was so weird at first. I was still doing school, practice, and competing like any normal college athlete but I was anything _but_ normal outside of that. I was introduced to a very different lifestyle having to promote the company and be part of the whole glitz and glam of it all, always being scrutinized, always having to be perfect. I had to adjust fairly quickly. Sometimes I feel like two different people, one who's worldly, sophisticated, and able to navigate the bougie scene and one who just wants to hide away from the world to live a simple, humble life. Most times I feel like a hypocrite."

She sighed, looking as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders, "At least I was able to negotiate an addendum to my contract that allowed for a short moratorium between when I graduate from college and when I start working full-time at the company…kind of like my 'last hurrah'. It actually starts this coming Sunday."

As Minako listened intently to the raven-haired woman, she began seeing who Rei really was: someone deeply loyal, strong, proud, but also extremely lonely. Her heart ached to hear how Rei had to face such adversity and had become a prisoner in so many ways, _Even after all that with her mother, her father, and her abilities, she can still be so kind and gentle, s_he thought reflecting on their earlier interactions. She shuddered at the thought of where Rei would be if she didn't have the support and love of her friends and grandfather growing up.

_And…she trusts me, _Minako thought. She vowed in that moment to never betray the beautiful woman's trust.

After a short silence, Rei shook her head as if coming out of a daydream, "Wow! I just started word-vomiting all over, didn't I? I don't know where all that came from," She laughed nervously, "I'm so sorry for boring you with my life story. I'm sure you didn't want to hear about all that. I-mmm!"

Rei's eyes widened as she took a sharp intake of air through her nose, _Strawberries…, _was all Rei could think as she registered the scent she took in. Everything happened so fast she didn't have time to react or comprehend what was going on. Strong, warm, orange-golden emotions quickly flooded her senses …protectiveness, sincerity, empathy…Rei was being pulled in and enveloped in it, _It feels so…safe. Everything's going to be okay. _She closed her eyes as she felt her anger, loneliness, and hurt melt away and allowed herself to fall into the welcoming emotions.

_Her lips are softer than I thought, _Minako thought as she breathed in the raven-haired woman's vanilla scent. Listening to Rei's story and watching the pain and sadness in the agonizingly beautiful woman's amethyst eyes, she was overcome with a strong desire to protect her and save her from her loneliness. She couldn't help herself and ended up leaning in to softly kiss the raven-haired woman on the lips.

Rei hesitated at first but quickly returned the kiss. Minako began moving her lips against Rei's, gently exploring her taste. Rei returned the action in kind just as softly, enjoying the sensations.

When the kiss ended, both women let out a sigh of content. They opened their eyes at the same time and stared at each other, _My first kiss,_ Rei thought as she smiled softly at the gorgeous blonde, "Thank you…Minako."

"No, thank _you_, Rei-chan," Minako whispered, "Thank you for trusting me."

Minako blinked and her eyes widened as if remembering something. She quickly jumped back, "Gods! I'm _so_ sorry, Rei-chan! I forgot about the whole 'close proximity' and 'touching' thing with your abilities! Are you okay!?"

Rei blinked blankly back at Minako a few times before she began to giggle, which turned into a wholehearted laugh. Minako, seeing Rei almost fall out of her chair from laughing, eventually joined in.

When their laughter began dying down, Rei was the first to speak, "Yeah, I'm fine, Minako," She glanced over at the kitchen, "Since we've been around each other for a few hours now, I've been able to adjust to your aura mostly if not completely already." She winked at the blonde, "The hug you gave me earlier didn't hurt in making that process go quicker also."

"A few hours!?" Minako practically yelled. She checked her cellphone, "Wow, 1:00am already? Damn! Where did the time go?"

"I know, I didn't notice it myself until I looked at the stove clock just now," Rei replied, "But I _am_ enjoying your company and getting to know you. Since we haven't really touched the sake, it'd be a shame to let it go to waste since it's a pretty expensive brand. Do you want to keep going until we kill it?"

"Mmn, sure!" Minako replied enthusiastically. Rei poured them another round and they toasted again before shooting their sake.

"So," Rei said as she poured them another glass, "I told you about _my_ future plans, if you can call them that. How about you? Do you plan on staying at Kirei? You're really talented. Would you want to strike out on your own?"

"I…I don't know," Minako hesitated, "I mean…I like what I do and I thought about possibly starting my own line of products, but...I don't know. I still feel like a little kid pretending to be an adult. I want to enjoy being young and having fun, you know?"

Rei nodded, "Yeah, that's why I really pressed hard for my moratorium. I just wanted some time to relax and not do…anything. I just want to enjoy life, maybe travel, visit Grandpa, _something_ before I have to put on a power-suit and hate the rest of my life. At least I'm hoping to make some fun memories during this time to look back on while my soul's being eaten alive by the family business."

"Wow, so dramatic, Rei-chan" Minako teased, "I know it sucks, but you make it sound like this is your last meal or something."

"It kind of is," Rei huffed, trying to keep a serious face but couldn't help letting out a chuckle. It was so easy to talk to Minako, even about the not-so-pleasant parts of her life. She made it so easy for Rei to be herself.

Minako smiled, happy that she was able to keep Rei from slipping back into anger and sadness, _I wish I could make her smile and laugh like this all the time. I don't want her to ever feel sad or alone again._

"Oh, you know what?," Minako said, "Speaking of your work, you never _did_ show me your office. Can I see it?"

"U-Ummm…," Rei began hesitantly. Even though she was becoming more comfortable around Minako and knew she was someone trustworthy, she was still afraid of how Minako would react once she put together who she really was, _If she sees my archery equipment and trophies, she'll probably freak out!_

"I…I like to keep my work private so…I hope you don't mind…," Rei said apologetically.

Minako could tell Rei had been avoiding talking about the specifics of her work since they met. She wanted to respect her privacy but that didn't mean she wouldn't use this opportunity to her advantage. She lighten the mood the one way she knew how: teasing and flirting.

"I get it," Minako said with a sly grin as she giggled, "You're probably hiding some fantasy sex room in there with red walls, leather tie-ups, and whips or something. That's why you don't want me to see it because you think my innocent, little, blonde head would explode from fright, huh?"

Rei blinked at first, but quickly realized what Minako was doing and was grateful that the smaller woman took the hint and changed the subject. She smirked at Minako,

"Look who's the ecchi one now?," Rei quipped, "What would _you_ know about that stuff, anyways?," she challenged playfully.

"I'll have you know, Rei-chan," Minako said seductively as she leaned in closer. Rei froze as the blonde closed the distance between them, stopping just inches from her, "Even though I'm blonde and have big, blue doe-eyes...don't underestimate me. I'm not as innocent as I look." She leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs provocatively as she shot her sake slowly, eying Rei behind hooded eyes.

Rei found herself breathless as she watched the blonde creature in front of her. Rei couldn't help but imagine her head to toe in black leather, holding chains. Surprisingly, the image seemed to fit her. Rei's intense gaze trailed from her sapphire eyes, down to her cheeks, down to her alluring lips which were parted slightly to allow a tongue to slowly drag from one corner to the other suggestively.

_Fuck...she's so hot!, w_as the only thought that came to Rei's mind.

Minako grinned triumphantly as she watched Rei's reaction to her antics. The beautiful, raven-haired woman's jaw had dropped and she was openly gaping.

"So, how much you getting paid to babysit that drink, Rei-chan?" Minako teased. Rei blinked and shut her mouth with an audible click. She shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. Accepting the challenge, she flicked her hair behind her shoulder and didn't take her eyes off Minako as she brought her cup to her lips and knocked back her sake expertly. She slammed the cup down and began filling her cup again.

"I'll have you know," Rei said confidently, "Even though I was raised as a miko in a shrine, I'm really good at drinking. My best friend taught me how to hold my liquor and is the only person who's ever out-drank me. Not even the soccer team from her high school could keep up with us when we played Century Club with them."

"Oh really?," Minako raised an eyebrow, "Well, isn't that a coincidence. It's an honor to finally meet another member of the club."

Rei narrowed her eyes slightly at Minako, "Huh, you really _are_ a member aren't you? I'm impressed."

"Hey!," Minako exclaimed with feigned annoyance, "Did you just use your abilities to see if I was lying!?"

"Maybe," Rei replied with a playful wink.

"Cheater!," Minako huffed, "So, then, how do _I_ know that _you're_ not lying and just talking big game?"

"Well, we could play with the rest of the bottle," Rei suggested, "We've both had three shots each so far. Beer usually has 4-5% ABV, right? This stuff has 18% so even though there's only enough for about 30 minutes, it'll definitely have the same effect if not more."

Minako thought for a bit and slid her glass towards Rei, "You're on."

* * *

**Author Note:** I'm not too proud of this chapter. I don't think the writing in it is my best, probably because of how information-dense it is with such limited action/movement. Like I said, this scene in Rei's condo is long so bear with me!

I don't condone underage, unsafe alcohol-consumption practices. This is a fiction piece.

In case you're wondering, Aino is actually a female character from a Finnish epic poem called The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot. Seemed to work out well as part of Minako's back-story to explain her physical characteristics so I borrowed it for a bit. ^_^

Aino (mythology). (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from wiki/Aino_%28mythology%29

Again, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author Note:** Hello, again! I've been away and haven't had much time to really sit and write, but I'm back and am really excited to continue this story. Thanks so much for the reviews!

A longer chapter this time. I actually wanted to break it up, but that would make for a _really_ small Chapter 9 which I didn't want to do. I hope you enjoy!

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

The two women continued to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other's company as they played their drinking game. With each passing minute, Minako continued to become more flirtatious as Rei volleyed back just as flirtatiously with her own witty banter. Half an hour and one empty sake bottle later, Minako's face was pink from alcohol and giggling like a school girl while Rei looked perfectly fine and was giggling at Minako.

"You alright there?," Rei asked in between giggles. Even without her abilities, she could tell Minako was a little buzzed. Not _totally_ inebriated, but slightly buzzed.

"Yeah, I'm good! Totally fine!," Minako replied a little too enthusiastically, "How about you?"

"I'm great," Rei replied with a smirk, "Probably better than you."

"Whatever! I could _totally_ pass a sobriety test right now if I had to!," Minako exclaimed, trying to sound serious. Her continued giggling, though, didn't seem to help support her case or her attempt to sound convincing.

"And there it is," Rei teased, "The line every buzzed person has used since the beginning of time. I'm sure you'd sound _really_ convincing tell a cop how you feel 'sotally tober ociffer'."

"Oh, hush!," Minako giggled. She stood up abruptly, "I'll show you! See? Totally-Whoa!" As she took her first step in an attempt to try and walk in a straight line to prove her point, she stumbled slightly. Thanks to her quick reflexes, Rei managed to stand and catch Minako in her arms before she fell to the floor.

"Mou, Minako!," Rei chided out of concern, "That was close, be careful!"

Minako giggled as she found her footing and leaned against Rei, "Sorry, Rei-chan," She wrapped her arms around Rei's neck as she rested her head against her shoulder, "It's a good thing you were here to save me. You're my hero."

Rei was about to roll her eyes at Minako's until she felt a sudden shift in Minako's bubbly aura, _What the…, _ Her amethyst eyes widened and her breath began to quicken. She looked down at Minako to find that the smaller woman was staring up at her. Her alluring lips were parted slightly and she was panting softly. Her hooded sapphire eyes sparked intently with something Rei couldn't quite make out. Her aura began to flare with an intensity Rei could barely stand.

"Rei-chan," Minako whispered, "I was wrong."

Rei swallowed and was having trouble finding her voice, "A-About what, Minako?" she whispered nervously.

Minako leaned in and gently brushed her lips against Rei's, sending electric shocks through the taller woman's system, "You don't need cherry lip-gloss," Minako whispered, "You taste good without it."

Orange-golden emotions were swirling rapidly inside of Rei, making her heart race, threatening to envelope Rei in its urgency. They were different from before, tinted with…desire, passion. Rei found herself stepping back, only to be met with the dining table, which she ended up leaning against to stabilize herself and keep from collapsing from the intensity of Minako's aura. She was having a hard time catching her breath.

Minako slid one of her hands from Rei's neck to caress the beautiful woman's cheek, stroking it with her thumb, "I find you very attractive…Rei-chan." She closed her eyes and brought their lips together in a heated kiss.

A moan came from the back of Rei's throat as she was taken over by the scent of strawberries and a sudden surge of emotions that erupted inside her. She couldn't tell anymore whether the burning desire she felt was her own or Minako's but, at the moment, she didn't care. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the smaller woman as she responded fervently to Minako's kiss.

Minako felt a throb deep inside of her as Rei moaned and kissed her back just as passionately. She deepened the kiss, stroking the pale woman's bottom lip with her tongue, requesting access. Rei parted her lips to allow Minako's tongue to caress her own while she also explored Minako's mouth, taking all of her in. Rei's hands began to roam Minako's back, desperately trying to bring the smaller woman closer while memorizing her slender body.

As the kiss became more heated, the hand Minako had on Rei's cheek slid to the back of her neck and grabbed a fistful of her silky, dark hair. Her other hand moved down Rei's body to wrap around and up her back. As she dragged her nails down between Rei's shoulder-blades over her t-shirt, Rei gasped into Minako's mouth and her back arched reflexively from the sensation, pushing their bodies closer together.

Desperate for air, both women pulled away breathlessly, but not before Minako captured Rei's lower lip between her teeth, causing a needy moan to escaped Rei's lips. Both women were breathing heavily, still holding onto each other with all they had. Minako leaned her forehead against Rei's as both women tried to catch their breath.

"Gods, Rei-chan…you're…_such_ a great kisser," Minako said between breaths. With her hand still buried in Rei's hair, she gently tugged her head to the side and ducked to the opposite side to ravish Rei's neck with kisses and gentle bites.

"Aah," A sound that was a mix of a yelp of surprise and a moan of pleasure came from the taller woman in response to the new sensation caused by Minako's actions, which only encouraged Minako to continue her ministrations with added fervor. Rei's grip tightened around the smaller woman and she continued to moan as Minako trailed fervent kisses up her neck and nibbled her earlobe, breathing in her distinct vanilla scent.

"Fuck, your moans turn me on," Minako whispered as she continued nipping down Rei's jawline until she came to Rei's lips and moved in for another passionate kiss.

Rei was so lost in these new sensations she almost didn't notice that one of Minako's hands had found its way underneath her shirt and was gliding down her toned stomach towards the waistband of her pants. Rei flinched and her eyes immediately shot open. She quickly placed a hand on top of Minako's, stopping it from going any further. Her other hand went to Minako's shoulder and gently pushed her back, breaking the kiss.

"W-Wait...Minako…," Rei breathed. Minako opened her eyes, still breathing heavily. Piercing sapphires began searching unsure amethyst eyes. Seeing the look of uncertainty, Minako quickly brought her hands to cup Rei's face.

"What's wrong, Rei-chan?" Minako whispered.

Rei winced a little as she felt orange-golden pangs of hurt and concern being emitted from the smaller woman. She was fighting for focus inside of herself. Coherent thought was becoming exponentially difficult with Minako's desires, hurt, and confusion swirling inside of her, intermingled with her own desires and hesitations. She closed her eyes and took deep, meditative breaths to try and center herself and sort out the mix of emotions.

Once she felt some semblance of stability, she slowly opened her eyes and brought her hand up to caress Minako's cheek, softly stroking it with her thumb, "Minako, I like you...I really do. It's...it's just that I…I can't," Rei dropped her hand to grip the edge of the table behind her. She pulled away from Minako's touch and averted her gaze to the floor, "I've just…I've never…"

"You've never been with a woman before, have you," Minako said as she gently rested her hands on Rei's shoulders. It was more of a statement than a question, "It's ok, Rei-chan, I figured."

Rei's head shot up and she looked at Minako with surprise, "R-Really?" Her face began to flush with embarrassment, _Kami-sama, am I really that obvious?, "_H-How did you know?"

"The way you said you didn't have a girlfriend when I asked you earlier," Minako replied softly. A gentle smile played across her lips, "You were so embarrassed, it was adorable." Rei began to feel the same protective, sincere warmth flow through her that she felt when they shared their first kiss earlier that evening. She closed her eyes and smiled softly as she brought her hand up from the table to take one of Minako's hands in her own and place it back on her cheek.

"I like this emotion," Rei sighed, leaning into Minako's touch, "I like it when you feel this way. It makes me feel so safe."

"It's because I care about you, Rei-chan," Minako replied sincerely, "You trusted me enough to share some of your secrets with me and I don't take things like that lightly. I'm not going to take advantage of your trust. I'm not going to hurt you. I don't _want_ to hurt you," She leaned in and placed a light kiss on Rei's forehead.

As Rei opened her rare, violet eyes, she was met by Minako's caring, cobalt eyes, "It's ok, Rei-chan," Minako said reassuringly, "It's not that much different from being with a guy."

She paused and giggled, "Actually, I take that back, it's _way_ more fun than being with a guy. Don't worry, I'll show you." She began leaning in to kiss Rei until she felt a feather-light touch of a finger on her lips, stopping her. Rei's other hand stayed on Minako's shoulder, keeping her from moving closer.

"It's…it's not just that, Minako…," Rei stammered. Her gaze had gone to look at the floor again, "I...I just...I can't-"

"…I see," Minako said sadly as she stepped away from Rei. Rei reflexively let out a sigh of relief as Minako's aura released its hold on her. As she began to understand the jumble of emotions she was feeling while they were connected, she registered one she felt right as Minako stepped away...heartbreak.

"I-I should...I should go," Minako whispered. She hung her head and looked down at the ground, her bangs masking her face, "I'm sorry for coming over like I did. I don't know what I was thinking."

Rei was taken aback. She watched as Minako's aura shifted to...Hurt? Embarrassment? She quickly stepped in front of the blonde before she could rush past her, "Wait, Minako, I'm sorry, I-" Rei began.

"No, Rei-chan, don't apologize," Minako said softly as she took a step back, "It was my fault. It's fine if you just wanted to be friends. I'm...I'm just really embarrassed, that's all. I was under the impression that we had a connection. I'm really sorry that I misread-"

"Minako, no," Rei quickly interrupted, "No, you didn't. We _did_ have a connection. I mean, we _do. _It's so magnetic, it's almost crazy. I mean, I just met you and I can't get enough of you. Everything about you is intoxicating. I really like you, I really do, it's just that-"

"Then is it because I'm not pretty enough for you?" Minako whispered, "I mean…you're stunningly beautiful, Rei-chan. You could have anyone you wanted. Is it...is it because I don't measure up?"

Rei's jaw dropping in shock. She was floored by Minako's words, "How...How can you say that, Minako!? You're the most gorgeous person I've ever met! You took my breath away when I first saw you! It's just-"

"Then what, Rei-chan?," Minako said as she lifted her head to meet Rei's eyes. Tears were beginning to form in her breathtaking, azure eyes and threatened to stream down her cheeks. Rei's heart broke seeing Minako in so much pain, "Because I feel it too. I can't believe how much I like you and we just met. But if we have this connection, if you're attracted to me, and you know I'm attracted to you, then what are you afraid of?"

Rei winced at the last comment. It hit a little close to home. She _was_ afraid. An emotion the beautiful woman always had some trouble dealing with, "I've…I've just never…" Rei managed to say but couldn't finish. Her face began to flush with embarrassment as she looked away.

"What, Rei-chan?" Minako probed gently. She searched Rei's face until it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her sapphire eyes grew wide with shock and she sobered up quickly. She took a step back and brought a hand up to her mouth.

"Oh my Gods," Minako gasped quietly, "Rei-chan…you're…a virgin?"

Rei's face turned a slightly darker shade of red, confirming Minako's question, "No way...I mean...wow, I just…I find it surprising. I mean, you're so beautiful. I…I thought you _at least_ had been with men before."

"Ugh!," Rei made a sound of disgust as she rolled her eyes. She turned so she was leaning against the dining table again, "I told you, I don't like men."

"Yeah, I know, but...when you said that, I thought maybe it was because you recently had a bad break-up with some guy or something," Minako explained, "I didn't get that you didn't like men _at all_."

"No, what I was _trying_ to say was that I can tolerate _being_ _around_ them if I _have_ to be. Like _interacting_ with them, not being..._with_ them," She wrinkled her nose in repulsion at the thought. Shaking her head, she flipped her hair behind her shoulder and crossed her arms in front of her,

"So...now you know," she said with a huff as if trying to make up for her embarrassment, "I've never _been_ with anyone before. I've never even _dated_ anyone before. In fact," her eyes returned to the floor, "You…you were my first kiss," she said shyly.

Rei could almost hear Minako's jaw drop, "What!? But…But you're such a good kisser!" Minako exclaimed.

"I was just reading your aura and following your lead," Rei shrugged as she looked sheepishly at Minako. She chuckled at the thought, "I guess my ability _does_ have some advantages other than fortune-telling. It was really fun reading you while I was trying to do what I wanted to also."

"Huh…wow…," Was all Minako could say in her state of shock. She averted her gaze to the ground.

Both women sat in silence for a bit. Rei fidgeted anxiously as she watched Minako warily, who seemed to be deep in thought. Her aura emitted shock and disbelief and…regret? After a few seconds, Rei couldn't take the silence anymore. She dropped her arms and straightened from leaning against the table. Looking away, she began to speak nervously, "I…I totally understand if…if all of this is...too much for you and you decide...that you don't want to be with me. But I'm…I'm just not ready...for _that_ yet."

A pair of arms circled her neck as Minako embraced Rei, _Yep...definitely regret,_ Rei thought as she felt Minako's aura. She braced herself for Minako to apologize out of regret for coming over and to say goodbye.

"I'm so sorry, Rei-chan," Minako said softly in her ear.

_Here it comes_, Rei thought. She held her breath as she waited for the inevitable.

"Gods, if I had known, I would have done things differently," Minako whispered.

_Wait…what?,_ Rei thought to herself. She was perplexed as she began feeling a strong wave of guilt mixed in with the regret being emitting from the smaller woman. She couldn't help the tears that began to sting her eyes from the overwhelming emotions.

"I would have asked you out properly instead of just coming over like I did. I wouldn't have kissed you until you were ready and it was what you wanted," Rei began to feel Minako's body shake as the blonde started to cry, "I…I wouldn't have made passes at you and tried to sleep with you. I'm so sorry, Rei-chan, for cheating you out of your first kiss and forcing myself on you."

"Minako…," Rei whispered. She brought her arms up to warmly embrace the smaller woman. Though she knew Minako couldn't feel her aura, she put all of herself in the hug she gave to comfort the gorgeous blonde, trying to combat the sadness that was flowing from the smaller woman.

"Shhh, it's ok," Rei cooed as she stroked her silky blonde hair, "Minako, don't apologize. I was really, _fucking_ nervous when you came over, but I'm so happy that you did. Like you said, we just met and I've never felt I could trust someone so completely enough to share my secrets with. Being with you, just getting to know you, has been the best time I've had in years. And our first kiss...it was magical. It was so perfect. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

As Rei comforted the smaller woman, she began to feel the orange-golden hues of sadness melt away and Minako's crying slowly came to an end. After a moment, Minako brought her hands to Rei's shoulders and gently pushed herself away to search Rei's face for any hint of deceit. Rei confidently looked into Minako's questioning gaze, willing her to believe what she was saying. Slowly, she leaned in and captured Minako lips in a gentle, chaste kiss as if affirming she was telling Minako the truth. She smiled to herself when she felt Minako respond in kind, her aura relaxing to acceptance.

When the kiss ended, violet met cerulean and both women became lost in each others' gaze. Rei brought her hand up to gently wipe the tears from Minako's cheeks, "I find you very attractive, Aino Minako," she said softly.

"You used my line, cheater," Minako giggled softly as she shook her head.

"So you _were_ using lines on me! I _knew_ it!," Rei replied triumphantly. Both women began to laugh, breaking the tension between them.

"Whether they were 'lines' or not doesn't change the fact that I meant them," Minako replied sincerely. A thought came to her and she looked at Rei quizzically with a raised eyebrow, "Not even _one_ _date_, Rei-chan?"

"Well…lots of guys and a few girls have asked me out before," Rei shrugged. She brought her hands to rest on Minako's slender hips, "But I just never had the time. I was always practicing, studying, in class, working, or going to competitions. And I was never really into anyone anyways...well...until you."

Minako blushed slightly as Rei continued, "In any case, like I said, I usually keep my distance from people because of my abilities so I always turned them down. In fact, including today, I can probably count how many times I've been physically close to someone on one hand."

The shock that rippled through Minako's aura didn't go unnoticed by Rei. Minako was floored by this revelation. Having grown up with an affectionate twin sister like Usagi, warm hugs were not uncommon and she carried that with her through her friendships and relationships into adulthood. Physical affection was second-nature to her, as natural as breathing or blinking. She almost couldn't comprehend what Rei was saying, "So your grandfather and your friends were never affectionate with you?"

Rei's face fell slightly, "Sometimes they get a little…_too_ overprotective of me. I mean, I've never felt unloved or anything, I know they love me just as much and as deeply as I love them. They just worry about me because they understand how strong my abilities are. There was this one incident back in elementary school and, ever since then, they try to keep their distance because they know how much energy it can take out of me. They're afraid that I might…well…like what happened when you hugged me earlier...but worse. Even though I'm already so used to their auras and I've told them that before, they're still afraid I might strain myself," Rei shrugged, "So…yeah..." she trailed off.

Minako's heart ached as she imagined a younger Rei losing her mother, being teased and isolated at school, having a father that barely wanted anything to do with her other than to use her, and having a grandfather and two friends who loved her but were too afraid for her sake to show her affection, _Gods, to be so alone…so deprived of affection...and yet have such a caring heart and be so gentle…It's no small miracle she's not psychopathic!_

Rei could feel the overwhelming concern coming from the smaller woman and immediately felt uneasy. Even though Minako made it easy for her to be herself and to feel safe to share so much, she was still a proud woman and didn't want to be seen as 'broken'. It's just the cards she was dealt in life, no big deal. She survived, didn't she? A small part of her also feared that Minako would try to distance herself out of concern as Haruka, Michiru, and her grandfather had. She really enjoyed Minako's affectionate personality and, in a small way, was becoming addicted to her warm aura.

Before she could play it off to try and reassure the blonde, her attention was grabbed by Minako gently cupping her face in her hands. Her face was serious as she looked intently into Rei's lavender eyes, "Rei-chan, I really like you and I…I want to see where this goes. As you can tell, I'm a physically affectionate person. But I don't ever want you to feel pressured into doing something you don't want to do. I can't read you like you can read me so I need you to talk to me and be honest, especially when it comes to physical stuff. If we do this, we'll take things slow and go at a pace you're comfortable with, ok? "

Rei smiled in relief at Minako's words. Minako had surprised her at every turn. She respected her privacy when Rei was reluctant to share about some of the specifics of her job or family and she hadn't run away screaming when she told her about her abilities or that she was a virgin in so many ways. In fact, she was still in her arms, as close as ever and wanting more. She could sense that Minako was telling the truth about taking things slow and being honest.

"Mmn," Rei nodded in agreement as she felt Minako's sincerity and honesty flow through her, "I like the sound of that."

Minako smiled as she stepped back from Rei and out of her embrace, "Ok, then. Now there's just one last thing to take care of."

Rei blinked at Minako in confusion, "What?"

Minako giggled as she grasped Rei's hands in her own, "Rei-chan," she said as a slight blush painted her cheeks, "Will you…go out with me?"

Rei smiled as she squeezed Minako's hands, "Yes."

"Gods, I'm so glad you said 'yes'," Minako sighed, feigning relief, "I was nervous that you might have gotten used to saying 'no' to all your other suitors that you'd turn me down and all of this would have been _really_ awkward!"

Both women laughed as they hugged each other warmly, "Are you sick of my aura invading your body yet?," Minako asked playfully.

"Never," Rei replied squeezing the blonde tighter. "It's nice now that I've adjusted to it."

"Good, because it's already 3:00am and I'm _not_ driving home with sake on my breath," Minako replied. Her voice lowered to a seductive tone, "So, we're sleeping together whether you like it or not."

Rei froze when she heard Minako's words. But, after a quick scan of Minako's aura, she relaxed and realized she was, again, being teased by the gorgeous blonde.

"Mou, Minako," Rei whined playfully as she pulled away, "Whatever happened to 'no pressure' and 'going at a pace I'm comfortable with'?"

Minako giggled and stuck her tongue out at the taller woman, "I just meant we'd sleep in the same bed together, not that anything would happen. You really _are_ ecchi, aren't you, Rei-chan?"

Rei pouted playfully as Minako giggled at her expense, "Hey, where's the fun in dating you if I can't tease you a little, huh?"

Rei continued to pout as she looked away, "Mou, Rei-chan," Minako cooed as she kissed Rei on the cheek, bringing a soft blush to the taller woman's cheeks, "Forgive me?"

"Mmn," Rei replied shyly. She turned back to look at Minako, "It _is_ really late, isn't it? C'mon, I have a set of pajamas you can use so you can be more comfortable."

The two women cleaned up the dining table and the kitchen before heading to the bedroom where Rei provided Minako with a change of clothes, which she took to the guest bathroom and prepared for bed, while Rei used her master bathroom for her nightly routine. When both women crawled into bed, Minako immediately scooted closer to the raven-haired woman, resting her head on her chest while wrapping an arm around her neck. Rei wrapped her arm protectively around Minako's shoulders, pulling her closer, enjoying the warmth of the smaller woman. They each said their good nights before drifting into peaceful slumber.

* * *

_**Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...**_

The digital notes of a cell phone startled the sleeping blonde out of rest. She rolled to her back and reached over groggily, trying to paw at her nightstand to find her phone, only to be met with more bed that she was used to. She tilted her head and opened her eyes slightly to see why she couldn't find her nightstand. Realizing she wasn't in her own bed, her eyes shot open and she bolted up into a sitting position, which she immediately regretted when a searing headache hit her like a sledgehammer.

_That's right, I'm at Rei-chan's place, _Minako thought. She made a grumbling sound as she slowly rolled out of bed and stumbled towards her purse, which was on a table at the other end of the room. Once she reached it, she dug inside to find her phone. When she picked it up and saw who was calling, her eyes immediately widened,

_Oh, shit…, _she thought as she flipped her phone open and hesitantly brought it to her ear.

"…H-Hello?" Minako said meekly.

"WHERE THE _HELL_ WERE YOU!? YOU NEVER TEXTED ME LAST NIGHT TO SAY YOU GOT HOME! I TEXTED AND YOU NEVER WROTE BACK! WHEN I TRIED CALLING YOUR CELLPHONE, IT KEPT GOING TO VOICEMAIL. I WAS ABOUT TO CALLED THE POLICE!," Usagi yelled in the phone. Minako had to hold the phone away from her ear to avoid losing her hearing and to avoid making her headache any worse than it already was. She squinted at her phone, 10:00am. Not only was she losing battery, she also didn't have much signal. She moved closer to the window and managed to get a few more bars.

"S-Sorry, Usa-neechan!," Minako said apologetically as Usagi continued to scold her through the phone, "I totally forgot! I'm sorry! I'm okay! I stayed over at…at a friend's house and I don't have much signal here."

"Mou, Mina-chan! You're my baby sister! If anything happened to you, I…I…," Usagi began wailing and bawling on the other end of the line.

"Mou, Usa-neeeecchhaaaaannn!" Minako whined, _Gods, sometimes she can be such a baby!_, "I don't have much battery left on my phone. I'm fine, I swear! I promise I won't forget to text you ever, ever, ever again, ok?"

It was then that Minako remembered something she wanted to tell her, which she knew would help her situation, "But it's not going to happen again because I got a promotion yesterday."

Usagi immediately stopped crying, "A promotion?," she asked curiously.

"Yeah!," Minako replied quickly, trying to capitalize on the break in Usagi's hysterics, "I'm going to be the morning manager starting Monday from 7:00am to 2:00pm so I won't be coming home late anymore."

"THAT'S SO AWESOME, MINA-CHAN!" Usagi squealed. Minako held the phone away from her ear again. She silently cursed the gods for the invention of alcohol, drinking games, and high-pitched twin sisters.

"Th-Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied, "I'll tell you all about it when we meet up later today, ok? I've got to go."

"Ok, Mina-chan, see you later!," Usagi said cheerfully, "Don't forget to bring everything you need for today, alright?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently. She was about to end the conversation when-

"And, Mina-chan, you can tell me all about your _friend_ who you stayed over with last night when we pick you up. I know that Karin-chan and Azumi-chan left for her parents' house yesterday so it can't be them!," Usagi said teasingly.

_Ah, shit..., _Minako cursed to herself, "Ok," she replied defeatedly, "Love you, Usa-neechan."

"Love you too, bye!" Usagi said before hanging up the phone.

Minako flipped her phone closed and sighed as she dropped her phone back into her purse. She realized then that her purse was on top of her neatly folded clothes which appeared to be freshly laundered. Turning to look back at the bed, she realized that Rei wasn't there.

_Huh, I wonder where she went,_ she thought as she stumbled to the master bathroom, which Minako could have sworn was the same size as her studio apartment and could rival a spa. To the right was a long sink unit that spanned most of the wall with His and Her sinks...

_Or perhaps...Her and Her?,_ Minako smiled to herself.

...with white counter-tops and dark-wood cabinets that sat beneath an expansive mirror. A long, plush, red, shag rug was on the floor in front of it and spanned the length of the unit. Beyond that in the far-right corner was a toilet room with a door in which one could use the facility in private if so desired. In the far-left corner was a large shower unit with glass panels and a large, square rainfall shower head installed right in the ceiling, complete with digital controls for water temperature, and tiled sandstone that matched the tiled floors throughout the bathroom.

In between the two, perpendicular to that wall, was a tub that looked like it could easily fit three to four people. Rather than having to climb over the edge to get in and out of it, the tub was sunken into the ground and had a small set of stairs built in to allow for someone to step down into it. The ledge along the width of the tub against the wall was lined with white pillar candles of varying heights and above that was a window that spanned to the ceiling, allowing for someone who was in the tub to enjoy perhaps the warm sunlight during the day or stargazing at night.

To the left, across from the sink unit and a couple yards or so from the shower, was a wide vanity area built into the wall with a large, wide mirror and vertical vanity lights on either side, and a bench-style vanity stool with a white cushion and dark-wood frame that matched the sink unit. The space between the vanity area and the shower had built-in cabinets that matched the sink unit next to a couple towel racks which had fluffy, white towels with red trim neatly folded over them. The six, rectangular skylight windows in the ceiling allowed for the room to be bathed in natural sunlight, adding to the tranquility of the space.

When Minako turned to the sink unit, she immediately knew the sink closest to the door was the one Rei used as it had a toothbrush sitting in a toothbrush holder next to a soap dispenser. When her gaze went to the other sink, she found an extra toothbrush had been set out on a neatly folded towel waiting for her. She smiled at Rei's attention to detail and thoughtfulness as she started her morning routine.

* * *

Refreshed and changed back into her clothes, Minako felt a little better though she was still battling a lingering headache. She quietly opened the door of the bedroom and walked out to the living room to find Rei, dressed in a flattering, grey t-shirt with cap sleeves and black fitted jeans, sitting at the dining room table, reading a newspaper, and sipping a cup of green tea.

Beautiful Rei..._devastatingly_ beautiful Rei…doing something so...normal. Minako couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

* * *

At the sound of the melodic voice, Rei looked up and smiled at the gorgeous blonde across the room, "Your head must be throbbing, the colors around there are all fuzzy."

She placed the newspaper down and got up to go to the kitchen, motioning for Minako to come over. As Minako approached the breakfast bar, Rei retrieved a mug from a cabinet, filled it with coffee that she had freshly brewed not too long ago, and placed it on the bar. She pulled out a bottle of acetaminophen from a drawer and placed it next to the mug in front of Minako.

"How are _you_ feeling?" Minako asked.

"Great," Rei replied, "Like I said, I'm really good at drinking."

"You should teach me sometime," Minako groaned. She took the bottle and shook out two pills and quickly popped them in her mouth. Carefully, she chased them down with a sip of the black coffee. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, already feeling better with the warm, black liquid in her system.

Rei walked around the bar and gently hugged Minako from behind, resting her chin on Minako's shoulder, "Better?"

"Mmn, much. Thank you," Minako said as she leaned her head back on to Rei's shoulder, enjoying being held by the taller woman, "I should go. I have to meet my sister at 1:00pm and I still have a few things to do before then." She turned within the raven-haired woman's arms so they were facing each other. She wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, "I'll be out of town later today, but I'm coming back tomorrow. Can I see you then?"

"Mmn," Rei replied, "That works out because I'll be out of town and won't be back until tomorrow either."

"Well, we're just perfect for each other then, aren't we?" Minako said playfully.

Rei leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Minako's lips, "I'd like to think so," she whispered.

Minako blushed slightly as she looked up at the beautiful woman. She leaned in and rested her forehead against Rei's and closed her eyes, "I'm going to miss you," she sighed.

"I'll miss you, too," Rei replied softly. Minako gently broke out of Rei's embrace to retrieve her phone from her purse. She flipped it open and began quickly typing before shutting it again.

**_Beep Beep!_**

Rei's cellphone beeped in her pocket, signaling a received text message. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. A text from a Tokyo number was in her phone and the body of the message contained a local address.

"Now we're even," Minako said playfully as she put her phone away. Rei smirked as she quickly stored the information in her phone and placed it back into her pocket.

"Text me when you get back in town?," Minako asked as she stepped closer to the taller woman and back into her embrace, wrapping her arms around her neck again.

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod. Minako leaned in and kissed Rei on the lips. This time, the kiss lasted a little longer and slowly deepened. Though she wanted nothing more than to continue, Minako knew she had to get going and it took everything in her to end it. She pulled away reluctantly and took a deep breath.

"Thank the Gods for your gift, Rei-chan," Minako sighed, "Your kisses are heavenly." Rei blushed slightly at the complement.

"I have to go," Minako whispered as she headed to the door with Rei close behind. After putting on her shoes and opening the door, she turned and quickly kissed Rei on the cheek and left.

Once Rei closed and locked the door, she turned around and leaned her back against it, a wide smile gracing her lips, "Fuck, I don't know if I can wait until Sunday to see her again!"

* * *

**Author Note:** And, after four chapters, we have finally come to the end of the scene in Rei's condo! Thanks for bearing with me on this!

A rudimentary version of this entire condo scene was actually what started this whole story. I imagined Minako going over to Rei's place for some reason or other and them drinking and getting to know each other. I originally thought it would just be a one-shot, but then I started to ask myself questions like, "Why would she do that? What would have to happen to lead up to such a scene? Where will they go from there?" And that's how this story began.

When I started writing this story, I thought it would be my first and, most likely, my last. As I mentioned in a previous chapter, writing isn't something I normally do so this is all very new to me. But, while I was traveling and away from my computer, I had a few flights that were at horrendous hours. In the middle of it all, in my delirious state between sleeping and awake on one of the many layovers, I had a dream...or perhaps a vision?...about Rei and Minako. It was such a fleeting image, but one that I think will be a great basis for a story. Though I'll need to do a bit of research for it, I've already begun developing the basic elements of how it will begin and end. But I won't start writing it until I've finished writing this one, of course. ^_^

Thanks for reading thus far! Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: **As I write this story, I'm slowly realizing that poor Usagi and Mamoru are really outnumbered as the only straight couple...oh well! =)  


**Elegancia** = It's a noun in Hungarian and Spanish for "elegance"_  
_

**Baka** = [Japanese] "idiot", "stupid", "fool", or "foolish"

**162km/h** = about 100 mph

**Ara** = [Japanese] "Oh!" or "Oh, my!" but not so exclamatory.

I don't own Sailor Moon, any songs, or brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Garibay, F., Germanotta, S., and Blair, P. (2011). _The Edge of Glory_ [Recorded by Lady Gaga]. On Born This Way [CD], Oslo, Norway: LivingRoom Studios.

Gottwald, L., Levin, B., Martin, M., McKee, B., and Perry, K. (2010). _Teenage Dream_ [Recorded by Katy Perry]. On Teenage Dream [CD], Hollywood, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

"Ok, all set!," Minako said as she squeezed into the backseat behind Usagi. After some shuffling, she and Mamoru were able to fit most of their things into the trunk of Mamoru's car. The rest of the items that didn't fit occupied the seat and floor next to her and behind Mamoru.

"You sure you have enough space back there?," Usagi asked worriedly as she looked at her sister through the rear view mirror, "Do you need me to slide my seat forward for you?"

"No, I'm good. I've got plenty of space," Minako replied cheerfully.

"Are you sure you brought everything?" Usagi asked, "I really don't want to have to drive back if you forgot something."

"If she brings anything else, there'd be nothing left in her apartment," Mamoru mumbled to himself as he slid into the driver's seat and shut the door. He suddenly felt his head jerk to the side and a sharp pain from that side of his head, "Owowowowowow!"

"What was that, Mamo-chan?," Usagi asked in a subtle warning tone as she pinched his ear and yanked him towards her.

"N-Nothing, Usako! I love you! Ow!," Mamoru said painfully.

"That's what I thought," Usagi replied triumphantly as she let go of his ear with a huff, "The only one allowed to make fun of my baby sister is me! I _earned_ it!"

"Y-Yes, Usako," Mamoru replied guiltily as he brought his hand up to rub the pain away from his ear.

Minako giggled at their exchange, "Yes, I double and triple-checked that I packed everything I needed before you got here."

"Good," Usagi replied, "Because if you brought anything else, there'd be nothing left in your apartment!" She let out a full laugh as Mamoru subtly rolled his eyes and started the car.

* * *

As they pulled away from Minako's apartment building and Usagi's laughter calmed down, Minako leaned forward and threw her arms around the chair and her sister, "I like your outfit, Usa-neechan!," She exclaimed as she rested her head on the shoulder of the chair and eyed the black, sleeveless turtleneck that hugged Usagi's body and was tucked into trendy, orange shorts. Dark-brown, knee-high Stiletto-heeled boots finished the look, "Did you get that from work?"

"Mou, Mina-chan! Put your seat belt on!," Usagi chided gently. Minako giggled as she sat back in her chair and clicked on her seat belt, "There, happy now?"

"Mmn," Usagi nodded with a satisfied smile. She turned in her seat to talk to her sister, "And, yes, I did get this from work. I liked it so much that they let me have it. The shorts reminded me of you." Her eyes trailed down to the yellow, A-line sundress Minako chose to wear with a black bolero and black flats, "Your outfit is _super_ cute too, Mina-chan! Is it new?"

"No, I've had these for a while, but I don't think I had the dress the last time I saw you," Minako replied as she looked down at her outfit and fingered the edge of her dress.

"I like it a lot! We should totally do another clothing-swap while I'm still in town," Usagi suggested.

"Mmn! That'd be fun!," Minako nodded eagerly in agreement. She always enjoyed doing clothing-swaps with her sister since she usually ended up getting the better half of Usagi's wardrobe, which was ok by Usagi since she was always getting new clothes from work and needed to get rid of some items to make room for the new stuff.

"I'm _so_ excited!," Minako exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat, "I've heard so much about The Elegancia! I can't believe we're going to be staying there!"

"Me too! I haven't stayed there before so I can't wait to see it!," Usagi squealed, "I'm so glad Haru-chan's friend got us all really great deals on the rooms."

"I read some reviews online that said the food there is to _die_ for!," Minako exclaimed excitedly.

"REALLY!?" Usagi practically screamed, "I CAN'T WAIT!"

The twins continued that way for some time until Mamoru couldn't take it anymore and began fiddling with the radio, which he immediately regretted when an upbeat pop song came on. Usagi and Minako squealed at the same time and began singing at the top of their lungs along with the husky-voiced singer.

**_- Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames tonight, yeah, baby (tonight, yeah, baby). It isn't Hell if everybody knows my name tonight (Alright, alright). It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous. I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you where we can both fall far in love. I'm on the edge of glory and I'm hanging on a moment of truth. Out on the edge of glory and I'm hanging on a moment with you. I'm on the edge (the edge), the edge (the edge), the edge (the edge), the edge. I'm on the edge of glory and I'm hanging on a moment with you. I'm on the edge with you. -_**

Mamoru groaned and brought a hand up to rub his temple. It was one thing for Minako to belt out a song since she was at least a good singer. The love of his life was…a different story...and she was closer in proximity to his ringing ears. He thanked the Gods that it was at least towards the end of the song.

"Gods, I love that song," Minako sighed as she flopped back in her seat.

"It's a good song!," Usagi agreed, "I can't wait to get my dance on tonight! Mamo-chan, you'll dance with me won't you?"

"Of course, Usako," Mamoru replied obediently. Minako giggled at how whipped Mamoru was by her sister.

"You'll dance with me too, right Mamoru-kun?" Minako teased.

"Of course he will!" Usagi answered for him. She continued talking but Minako was no longer listening as the next song that came on the radio caught her attention,

**_- You think I'm pretty without any makeup on._****_ You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong. I know you get me, so I let my walls come down. - _**

Minako always loved music and was amazed by how there was always a song out there that could explain how she felt if she couldn't find the words herself. She actually dreamed of a career in the music industry when she was younger and took a few classes in music theory before her mother passed away and she changed her major.

Though she had heard this song numerous times, she smiled as she listened to the lyrics.

_I wonder what she's doing right now,_ She thought to herself as she sighed.

* * *

"Let me drive, I'll get us there faster," Haruka called as she exited the sliding-glass doors of the airport and headed towards her best friend who was waiting at the curb.

Rei was leaning against the side of her red Lexus LS 460 F Sport with her arms crossed in front of her. She still had on the grey t-shirt and black jeans, but added black sandals and a tan baseball cap which was pulled down low, covering most of her face. Her hair was in a ponytail and pulled through the back of the cap.

"No! It's _my_ car!," Rei responded indignantly as she looked up at Haruka who was a full-head taller than her, "Besides, _you're_ the one who taught me how to drive. I can get us there just as fast as you can!"

"C'mon, Rei!," Haruka whined as she stopped in front of her childhood friend and dropped her bags on the floor, "You know how I feel about driving those American cars. I miss driving on the right side." She immediately let out a full laugh, "Haha, get it!? Because our driver-side is on the right and I think that's the _right_ way to drive!?" She ran her hand through her short, sandy-blonde hair as she laughed at her own joke.

Anyone who looked at Haruka would have agreed that she was heartbreakingly handsome. Not beautiful, but handsome. The tomboy wore black-rimmed, royal-blue polarized racing sunglasses and a white t-shirt under a black leather jacket. On the bottom, she wore loose dark-blue jeans and black boots.

Rei rolled her eyes at her best friend, "Baka," she mumbled to herself. Sometimes, Haruka was the most immature person she knew.

"You still love me anyways," Haruka quipped with a dazzling smile. She rested one hand on her hip as she held out her other hand and alternated between opening and closing it, "C'mon, Rei, hand them over."

Rei groaned as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys, "Fuuucck, fiiiine!" She dropped them reluctantly into Haruka's waiting hand.

Haruka smirked, "Hey, watch your fucking language, young lady," she said teasingly as she unlocked the car and headed towards the trunk to begin loading her bags.

"I learned from the best," Rei replied snarkily. She walked around the car to the passenger-side and got in, shutting the door behind her. She pouted as she rested her elbow on the door and leaned her cheek against her fist. She watched Haruka in the rear view mirror as the older woman continued to load the last of her bags into the trunk, _Mataku, _Rei huffed to herself,_ Why do I always put up with her shit? Sometimes she's such a-_

Suddenly, Rei felt a shift in the air. She quickly straightened up and directed her attention towards the sliding-glass doors of the airport. She closed her eyes tightly and reached out towards the disturbance that caused the hairs on the back of her head to stand on end. Her eyes shot wide open when she realized what it was, _Oh, shit!_

"HARUKA!" Rei yelled as she rolled down her window, "GET YOUR ASS IN THE CAR! WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!"

"What?," Haruka asked with confusion as she finished loading her bags and slammed the trunk shut.

"DID I _FUCKING_ STUTTER!? MOVE IT, HARUKA!" Rei yelled as she leaned over to the driver-side door and rolled down the window.

"Oh my Gods, it's Tenoh Haruka!," A high-pitched, adolescent, feminine voice came from the airport. Haruka turned towards the voice and was met by a very large group of young girls in high school uniforms exiting the airport, obviously coming back from a class trip, _Oh, shit!_

"Isn't that Hino Rei's car!? Oh my Gods! I think that's her in the passenger seat!," Another girl squealed loudly.

Haruka sprinted to the driver side of the car and jumped into the driver's seat through the open window as the sound of running, screaming girls progressively got closer and louder. She started the engine and expertly zoomed away before the stampede closed in on them.

* * *

Once they were on the freeway, Haruka rolled the windows up and raised her sunglasses to rest on top of her head. She let out a breath and laughed, "Woooooh! Haha! It's good to be home! I haven't had _that_ happen to me in a while!"

"Shut up, Haruka!," Rei growled. She took off her baseball cap, threw it in the backseat, and pulled her hair out of her ponytail, "Kami-sama! Did you forget we wouldn't have a security detail until we actually _get_ to the hotel!? If I hadn't felt them when I did or opened the window for you to jump in, we would have been trapped! You can toy with _your_ _own_ life all you want, but I'm sure as _fuck_ not going to die by Michiru's hand for _your_ stupidity!"

"Oh, c'mon Rei, lighten up!," Haruka laughed, "Admit it, that was pretty funny!"

Rei huffed, but couldn't help but feel a smile pull at the corner of her lips. Haruka glanced at her childhood friend from the corner of her dark-blue eyes and smiled before returning her gaze to the road. They stayed silent for a moment before Rei spoke up.

"Nobuo-san sends his best, by the way," Rei said, changing the subject.

"He's such a good guy," Haruka replied sincerely, "I need to challenge him to another sparring match soon."

"Yeah," Rei replied softly, "And…Papa sends his regards," she said reluctantly, relaying the text she received earlier that day from her father, "His text said he got the invite but didn't have time to respond that he won't be coming so he wanted me to tell you," She shook her head disapprovingly, "Fucking prick," she said under her breath but just audible enough for Haruka to hear.

"Mmn," Haruka responded quietly, keeping her eyes on the road. She was relieved that they wouldn't be seeing him today, _Who knows what would happen if he and Rei were in the same room!_

Haruka's father always told her stories about how caring, funny, occasionally hot-headed, and extremely smart his college friend Hino Takashi was and how, ever since Rei's mother passed away, Takashi had become a changed man. Growing up, Haruka only knew Rei's father as the workaholic, stone-cold businessman who sponsored her father's racing team and provided them with the supplies for their sport. It was hard to picture someone like that being likeable or caring, especially since he treated his own daughter, her best friend and practically little sister, as a business pawn. Since the racing team was still under contract with Hino Sporting Enterprise, Haruka had to work with Takashi every once in a while due to taking over the team after her father passed. Professionally, she had to admit he was great to do business with. Personally, she deeply resented him for how he treated Rei and tried her best to keep their interactions to a minimum lest she exact revenge of some sort on Rei's behalf.

"Hey, that was awesome how you sensed that mob of teens from so far away," Haruka said after a long silence, changing the subject, "You really got us out of a jam there. Have you been practicing?"

"A little," Rei shrugged. A thought came to her and a proud smile graced her lips as she turned towards her best friend, "Actually, I was able to read your aura over the phone yesterday."

"Whoa, really!?" Haruka said with awe, "That's fucking cool! How did you come up with that?"

"I figured since touching someone makes it easier for me to tap into auras, a phone technically _does _connect me with someone since they're holding it so close to their body and so am I," Rei explained, "I've been trying it for a couple months now for fun. It _does_ takes some effort since it's a fake connection, but it works!"

"Shit, you're getting really creative with your abilities, Rei," Haruka exclaimed proudly, "Michiru hasn't had any changes, but I know she's still working with that scientist-friend of hers who's been doing research on it."

"Did she find anything?" Rei asked enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure. She tried explaining it to me but I didn't really understand it," Haruka responded with a shrug, "It didn't sound like it though."

"Mmn, I see," Rei replied with disappointment.

"But at least it seems like your senses are nice and sharp today," Haruka said. "That's good! You're going to need it for later."

"I'll be fine, Haruka," Rei huffed as she flicked her hair over her shoulder, "I know you're worried, but you don't have to baby me."

"All I'm saying is you better not overdo it today, alright? I don't want to see you get hurt," Haruka said sternly. Haruka rarely pulled out her 'dad' voice, as Rei called it. But, when she did, it was wise not to argue.

"Ok, I understand," Rei responded with a sigh, _Sometimes Haruka can be just as stubborn as me!_

"Also, thanks for picking me up today," Haruka said as she began pushing the speedometer closer to 162km/h, "It would have been a hassle to rent a car just for a few hours."

"Don't forget about me getting your clothes from the tailor too," Rei reminded. She shook her head, "I _still_ can't believe you forgot that."

"I know, I know! I _swear_ I thought I had it with me when I packed!," Haruka said defensively. She smiled, "I can't fucking wait for you to meet everyone. But you have to make sure you watch out for yourself also."

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei sighed as she leaned towards the radio to turn it on. She flipped through the stations until a song caught her attention,

**_- You think I'm pretty without any makeup on._****_ You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong. I know you get me, so I let my walls come down. - _**

For a miko who lived most of her life at a shrine in the woods, Rei had always liked music. Though she told people she hated karaoke or singing, she secretly would sing in the privacy of her room, in the shower, or in the car to songs that streamed from her online station and she was actually pretty good at it. She even took up guitar for a little bit when she was in high school before she sold it to help pay off some of the bills. She loved that she could always find a song that could express her feelings.

Though she knew the words to this song by heart, she didn't really listen to the meaning until now.

_I can't stop thinking about her__,_ She thought to herself as she sighed,_ I wonder if she's thinking of me right now, too._

* * *

"How much longer, Mamo-chan?," Usagi whined.

"Almost there, Usako. About 15 minutes or so," Mamoru replied patiently.

Usagi turned her head towards the back seat to look at Minako, who was sound asleep. The twins had caught each other up on everything except for what happened last night. All Usagi knew was that Minako stayed over at someone's house.

_And stayed up late, apparently_, Usagi thought with a smirk. During their conversation, Minako had fallen fast asleep from exhaustion.

_Don't think you're going to get out of this one that easily, Mina-chan!, _Usagi thought mischievously,_ I will get details from you one way or another!_

* * *

"We're here!," Haruka said cheerfully as they pulled up to the valet of The Elegancia. Rei was pleasantly relieved to find a tight security detail around the perimeter of the hotel that made it virtually impossible for anyone to get in past the front gate. As they drove up, she noticed more security around the entrance of the hotel and could see a few that were inside the lobby. She allowed herself to relax.

"How you feeling?," Rei asked casually as she turned towards her best friend. Haruka beamed as she calmly reached over and placed her hand on Rei's shoulder. Rei jumped a little at the contact. Haruka's royal-blue aura was always aggressively strong, playful, and fairly consistent and steady, truly reflecting her personality. But, mixed within the familiar, royal-blue aura, Rei felt a giddy sensation and a hint of…Nervousness? Rei had never known _anything_ to shake her best friend and couldn't help but be surprised.

"You tell me," Haruka said softly as she released Rei's shoulder.

Rei smiled reassuringly, "It's going to be the best day of your life, Haruka. You're going to be fine."

"Rei, you _know_ I'm more than 'fine'," Haruka said mischievously, "I'm fucking irresistible!"

Rei groaned and rolled her eyes as her best friend burst into laughter. As both women exited the car, Haruka popped open the trunk as a hotel porter with a luggage cart approached. They unloaded the car, gave the keys to the valet, checked in, and headed up to their rooms.

* * *

"Mina-chan? Mina-chan," Usagi whispered as she gently shook Minako's shoulder, "Hey, wake up, we're here."

Minako yawned as she groggily opened her eyes, "Oh, wow, I didn't even realize I fell asleep. We're here already?"

"Yup, just pulled up," Usagi replied cheerfully. Minako stretched and stepped out of the car. Mamoru was busy unloading the car as a hotel porter approached with a luggage cart and spoke loudly into a handheld transceiver, asking for backup luggage assistance.

"C'mon, let's go check in! I'm super excited!," Usagi squealed, jumping up and down. She grabbed her sister's hand and ran towards the lobby, "Mamo-chan we'll check in and meet you at the room!," She called over her shoulder, dragging Minako along.

"O-Oi, Usako!," Mamoru called. As the twins ran off, he sighed. Sometimes his girlfriend can be such a princess. He continued to unpack the car as a third luggage cart was being rolled out by a third porter.

* * *

"Wow! It's _so_ big!," Usagi gasped.

"Yeah! Better than the photos they had online!," Minako agreed.

The massive studio suite was themed in beige with black accents that gave a modern yet warm look to it. On the left wall of the entryway, at the very end, was a door that led to a large and luxurious bathroom while most of the right wall of the entryway was occupied by a closet with sleek, bifold, blonde wood doors.

In the left-corner of the suite, beyond the entryway, was an expansive, beige, L-shaped, velvet couch with black piping that framed a circular, blonde wood coffee table. A couple feet away, following the left wall, was a nightstand with a lamp next to a king-sized bed on a blonde wood frame with a slat headboard that came out perpendicular to the wall. The bed had pristine, white sheets and pillows with a black accent blanket at the foot of it. Next to that was a matching nightstand and lamp which stood a couple feet away from a window that spanned the length of the far wall with a recessed window bench that had beige cushions with black piping and black accent pillows. Mounted on the right wall, across from the bed, was a flat-screen television. Across from the couch, in the right-corner of the suite beyond the entryway, was an office desk and chair complete with computer, internet access, and printer with paper for guests' convenience.

Minako immediately went to the window of their 13th story room and opened the sheer window curtains to look at the view. She was awestruck by a view of the city of Kamakura and the vast beach and ocean beyond that.

"You sure you're ok sleeping on the pullout sofa bed, Mina-chan?" Usagi asked, "We can always switch to a room that has two queen beds instead."

"No, no, I'm ok! Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied cheerfully as she continued to stare out the window. She turned to look at her sister who had happily thrown herself backwards onto the king-sized bed, "Hey, do you think we have time to go to the beach sometime today?," Minako asked hopefully.

"Mina-chan, we're not here on vacation. We're here to support our friend!," Usagi chided gently.

"Awww," Minako whined dissappointedly. Usagi sat up and looked up at the ceiling as she thought, "Well...if we don't get _too_ crazy tonight, we _may_ be able to go tomorrow after we check out of the hotel." Minako's eyes lit up at her sister's comment.

"But, remember, Mamo-chan and I have a meeting to get to in Tokyo so-Oof!," Usagi gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Minako had pounced on her sister at full-speed, body-slamming Usagi into the bed.

"Thanks, Usa-neechan!," Minako squealed as she hugged her sister tightly.

"Mou, Mina-chan! I can't breathe!," Usagi wheezed.

"Oh! Sorry!," Minako apologized as she rolled off of her sister. Both were still laughing as a knock came from the door and four porters entered with their bags, followed by a tired-looking Mamoru. As they unloaded the bags from the luggage carts, Mamoru rested his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Mataku, Usako, Mina-chan, are all of these bags _really_ necessary for just a one-night stay?"

"Mou, Mamoru-kun!," Minako pouted, "I only brought one bag of clothes and a garment bag!"

"Yeah, along with your two rolling cases," Mamoru retorted matter-of-factly as he pointed to two, three-feet tall, 15" by 10", rectangular, black rolling cases.

"Don't listen to him, Mina-chan. He's just grumpy from driving and being jetlagged," Usagi said as she brought a hand up and waved it as if waving off Mamoru's comment. She also wanted to avoid the fact that she had brought the most luggage out of the three and they were currently taking up most of the floor-space in the suite.

_**Brrrrrriiiiinnngg!...**__****__**Brrrrrriiiiinnngg**_!

The sound of the room phone's shrill ring interrupted their conversation. Minako jumped off the bed, went to the office desk, and picked up the phone.

"Hello?," Minako greeted.

"Usagi-chan! I'm so glad you made it!," A melodic, sweet voice answered on the other line.

"Oh, Michi-chan, it's Minako," Minako replied with a smile, "Yeah, we just got here."

"Ara, sorry, Mina-chan. You sounded just like Usagi-chan on the phone," Michiru replied with a cute giggle, "Ami-chan just got here too and is headed up to my suite. Why don't you two come over so we can get ready together? I'm on the 31st floor, room 3189."

"Ok, we'll be right there!," Minako said cheerfully.

"See you soon," Michiru replied and hung up.

Minako hung up the phone and turned to the porters, "Sorry, can we take these bags up to room 3189?," She said as she gestured towards her orange overnight bag, garment bag, and two rolling cases that had been unloaded. The porters nodded and one began loading the requested bags back onto an empty luggage cart.

"That was Michi-chan," Minako said as she turned towards Usagi, "She wants us to go to her room so we can get ready. I have to bring all my bags, is there anything other than your garment bag you need to bring up to get ready?"

"Nope," Usagi replied, "I'll just borrow some of your stuff when we're up there." Minako gestured to a bright pink garment bag and asked the porter to load that up with her bags as well. The porters quickly finished and left the room.

"Well, Mamo-chan, looks like you'll have the room to yourself for a while to nap," Usagi said cheerfully as she hopped off the bed. She skipped towards Mamoru and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, "We'll see you later, ok? Love you!"

"Mmn," Mamoru grunted, still looking anxiously at all the bags that were on the floor as Usagi and Minako left the room giggling.

* * *

**Author Note: **I've never been to Japan, but I've always wanted to go. In writing this story and doing research for it, I feel like I'm indirectly finding out about different areas I want to visit whenever I get a chance to actually go there myself!

_Fun Fact:_ See A/Ns at the end of Chapter 5._  
_

13th Floor - Someone's initials (last-name first). More than one answer...Actually, now that I think about it, if you do it first-name first, you get someone else's initials too. Oh the intricacy! =D

Room 3189 - The only Sailor Senshi with 4 letters.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note:** We're going to be spending some time at the Elegancia so hang in there!**  
**

**Stephanotis flowers** = These flowers usually represent happiness in marriage

**Kampai** = [Japanese] "cheers"

I don't own Sailor Moon or any brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The Armani brand belongs to Giorgio Armani and the Fireball Whisky brand belongs to the Sazerac Company (cited September, 2013). These brands are used merely as descriptors for this fiction piece.

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

Rei showered and changed in her room before going over to Haruka's deluxe, one-bedroom suite. The suite was of the same style and color-theme as the regular suites but, instead of entering straight into a bedroom, the double-door entrance opened into a large, wide room that acted as a receiving room and living room.

Immediately to the right of the doors was a long, blonde wood table that spanned to the right corner of the room. Evenly spaced on the table were three, bubble ball vases with a bouquet of Stephanotis flowers delicately arranged within each of them. Following a short distance away from that on the right wall, perpendicular to the front door, was a door that led to a full guest bathroom. Farther still along that wall was a large, flat-screen television that was recessed into the wall and sat across a huge, curved, velvet couch that could easily seat seven to ten people. A long, blonde wood coffee-table, which usually sat between the television and couch, was pushed up against the wall underneath the television to allow for more space to move around. In the far-right corner of the room was a full-length floor mirror.

The back wall was all windows and overlooked part of the city of Kamakura, the beach, and the ocean. In the far-left corner was another set of double-doors that led to a luxurious bedroom with it's own, private, full bathroom. In the left corner of the room, across from the windows and immediately to the left of the double-door entrance was a full-sized, blonde wood bar where patrons could entertain visitors with various liquors and spirits. On the black, granite counter top of the bar were two, square serving plates, one with freshly cut fruits and one with freshly cut vegetables Haruka ordered for her and Rei to snack on while they were in the room. Across from the bar, in front of the windows and in between where the bedroom doors and the couch were situated, was an office desk and chair with a computer, internet access, and printer with paper to allow for guests' to enjoy the view while they worked at the desk.

Rei was lounging casually in the curve of the couch closest to the entrance. She was wearing a white, two-piece suit with a black, leather belt, royal-blue dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, and black heels. Her right leg was crossed over her left and she had her left arm draped over the backrest. Her amethyst eyes stared blankly at her best friend who was standing in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting her bow tie.

Though it appeared as if Rei was intently watching Haruka fuss over her bow tie, her thoughts were far from that. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling of a familiar, warm aura tugging at her senses and she found herself puzzled by it.

_It's almost like I can still feel her. Like she's still near me, _Rei mused. She shook her head slightly, _No, that's silly, _she rationalized to herself, _Maybe what I'm feeling is just residual aura from last night. __I mean, __I've never been that physically close to anyone before so maybe this is just a lasting effect from it? __I should just forget it. Haruka's right, I need to stay focused for later today._

Her amethyst eyes went back to her best friend,_ Maybe if I tell her about it, I can get it off of my chest._

"Hey...Haruka?," Rei said timidly.

"Hmm? What is it Rei?," Haruka said over her shoulder without turning, still fiddling with her bow tie. Her brow furrowed at her reflection and she huffed in frustration as she undid her royal-blue bow tie for the fifth time, "I don't know what the hell's wrong with me! I can't get this fucking thing right!"

"Here, let me do it," Rei said calmly as she got up from the couch and walked towards the irritated race car driver. Haruka lifted her hands in defeat and sighed as she let them fall to her sides. She reluctantly turned to face Rei who skillfully began tying the material.

"So," Haruka smirked as she watched Rei, "The pupil becomes the teacher, huh?"

"Like I said, I learned from the best," Rei smiled as she finished tying the material into a perfect bow. Once she finished, she ran her hands swiftly over Haruka's shoulders, brushing the jacket straight. She stepped back to examine her best friend from head to toe. Haruka was wearing a handsome, black tuxedo with a white dress-shirt and black dress shoes. Her royal-blue bow tie matched her royal-blue vest and Rei's dress shirt. Rei chuckled to herself as she noticed that the blue of their outfits matched Haruka's royal-blue aura perfectly.

"So? What do you think?," Haruka asked, turning in a slow circle to give Rei a full look, "Do I look stupid?"

"Meh," Rei said with feigned disinterest as she shrugged, "You'll do."

"Thanks, asshole," Haruka replied sarcastically as she smirked. She turned back to the mirror to look at herself. Her face softened as she looked at Rei through the reflection, "It's ironic, isn't it? One day I'm teaching you how to tie a bow tie, the next you're showing me how it's done." She turned to her childhood friend and smiled, "You've really grown up, Rei. I hope you know I'm really proud of you."

A slight blush tinted Rei's cheeks as she looked away. She hated to admit how much she loved hearing her idol say she made her proud. Haruka turned back to the mirror to look at herself, pulling at the ends of her vest to straighten it.

"So, what were you going to say?," Haruka asked. Rei's blush was now no longer out of flattery, but out of nervousness and embarrassment.

"W-Well, I…I-I wanted to tell you...umm...," Rei stammered.

"Yes?," Haruka said. She turned to face her best friend. Once she saw how flustered and nervous Rei was, she became serious, "Spill it, Rei. Did something happen between you and your father? If it has anything to do with him, I swear to the Gods next time I see him I'm going to-"

"No!," Rei huffed in frustration, "Fuck, Haruka, it's not about him!" She took a breath and began again, "I-I wanted to say…thanks…for yesterday," Rei stuttered.

"Yesterday?," Haruka looked at Rei with confusion, "I don't follow."

"Well…when I was getting your suit at the tailor shop, I…I met someone," Rei stammered, bracing herself for how Haruka would react.

"WHAT!?," Haruka practically shouted with surprise. She hadn't expected to hear her best friend say _those_ words! Sure, Rei would make passing comments about celebrities or models in magazines, but Haruka was almost convinced that Rei was _asexual_ rather than _gay_ growing up, "REI! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING EARLIER!?," She grabbed Rei's hand and dragged her to the couch, practically throwing her down to sit as she sat next to her.

"You're going to tell me _everything_ that happened yesterday! Right now!," Haruka said enthusiastically.

* * *

"Ami-chan!," Usagi and Minako squealed at the same time as a petite, short-haired blunette opened the double-doors of Michiru's deluxe, one-bedroom suite after they knocked on the door.

"Usagi-chan! Mina-chan!," Mizuno Ami gasped happily as she saw her high school friends. She was dressed in a mid back, teal, knee-length, silk chiffon dress with a v-neckline that was held up by a self-tie sash that tied around the back of her neck. The three hugged each other tightly before shuffling into the suite, which was an exact mirror image of Haruka's suite.

"How's California?," Usagi asked Ami as she closed the door behind them.

"It's wonderful! I'm learning _so_ much! The hospital I'm working at also has lots of opportunities for me to do research at the same time!," The genius resident physician beamed.

"How're the beaches?," Minako asked excitedly, "I heard they're awesome!"

"U-Ummm…," Ami stammered as she looked away nervously and brought a hand up to scratched her cheek.

"A-Mi-Chan," Usagi said disapprovingly, emphasizing every syllable of her petite friend's name. She looked at her friend sternly as she brought her hands to rest on her hips, "_Please_ tell me you've seen things outside of the hospital, library, and your apartment since you've been there!"

Ami gulped audibly under her long-time friend's gaze, "W-Well…I-I've been busy…," Ami stuttered.

"Mou, Ami-chan!," Minako whined, "Remember how much work it was for Usa-neechan and me to get you to come out of your shell in high school? Don't let our hard work go to waste, now! You need to relax and have fun too, you know!"

"M-Mmn," Ami nodded obediently, blushing.

"Well, in any case," Usagi sighed as she relaxed, smiling warmly at the petite woman, "We're glad you're home, even if it's just for a little bit."

"Mmn, it's good to be back," Ami smiled at her two friends.

"So, where's Michi-chan?," Minako asked as she looked around the room.

"Ara, did someone call me?," A sweet voice asked as the bedroom double-doors opened to reveal a stunning, teal-haired woman. Ami, Usagi, and Minako could only stare at the woman wide-eyed with jaws dropped in amazement.

"Michi-chan," Usagi whispered, breaking the silence and fighting back tears at the sight of her college friend, "You look..._so_ beautiful!"

Kaioh Michiru, who was half-a-head taller than the twins and a full-head taller than Ami, had always been alluring and today was no exception. She stood before the three in a ball gown wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline. A four rows, saltwater, white pearl, bridal necklace adorned her graceful neck, which matched her saltwater pearl stud earrings. Her arms were adorned with elbow-length, white, satin gloves and her wavy, shoulder-length hair rested perfectly over her bare shoulders.

"Thank you, Usagi-chan," Michiru said sweetly as she smiled warmly at her college friend, "I'm so glad you and Mamoru-kun could make it, I know how busy your schedules are."

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything!," Usagi replied cheerfully. She rushed towards her friend and hugged her with all she had as Michiru returned the hug in kind. When the hug ended, Minako was right behind her sister to give Michiru a hug of her own.

"Ara, Mina-chan," Michiru said with slight surprise as she looked at the gorgeous blonde's face once the hug ended.

"What, Michi-chan?," Minako asked with concern as she looked up at the taller woman with questioning eyes.

A knowing smile played across Michiru's lips. She shook her head, "Nothing," she giggled, "Thanks for agreeing to help us today," she said, changing the subject, "I felt bad asking you but, then again, I couldn't think of anyone _better_ than you to help us and I wanted today to be perfect."

"Of course! No problem, Michi-chan! It's the _least_ I can do!," Minako said reassuringly, "I also brought stuff to do hair as well if you or anyone else wants it." She grasped Michiru's hands and took a step back to examine her friend from head to toe, "Wow, Michi-chan," was all she could say in awe.

"C'mon, Mina-chan!," Usagi said excitedly as she grabbed her sister by the arm and began dragging her away, causing Minako to release Michiru's hands. Usagi led Minako towards their bags, which were dropped off in the suite near the front door by the porters, "We don't have much time. We still have to shower, get dressed, and you still have to do everyone's makeup."

"Alright, alright," Minako replied cheerfully. She turned back towards Michiru, "Michi-chan, you sure you don't mind us using your bathroom to get ready?"

"No, go right ahead," Michiru replied sweetly, "It'll be more fun with all of us together here instead of in our own rooms anyways." She gestured towards her bedroom and the guest bathroom, "Usagi-chan can use the bathroom in my room and you can use the guest bathroom so you both can get ready at the same time." The sisters nodded and began gathering their things.

"Plus…," Michiru said as she let out a giggle, causing the three smaller women to look at her questioningly.

"'Plus' what, Michi-chan?," Usagi asked.

"Plus, I thought having you all here would be a good way for us to catch up," Michiru smiled mischievously as she looked at Minako, "Especially Mina-chan. I got the sense when I looked into your eyes that something interesting might have happened to you fairly recently?"

"Really?," Ami asked as she looked at Minako, who began to turn bright red.

"Oh, right!," Usagi exclaimed, "You have to tell us about that _friend_ of yours whose place you stayed at last night!"

"What!?," Ami gasped as a blush began to form on her cheeks from the implication of Usagi's words. Michiru continued to giggle as she watched her friends' reactions.

Minako gulped audibly. She quickly grabbed her overnight bag and garment bag and ran to the guest bathroom, locking herself inside.

_Damn Michi-chan and her intuition!,_ Minako cursed to herself as she heard her sister beyond the door yelling about how Minako was no fair for running away and how she couldn't hide in there forever.

* * *

"Hah! Way to go, champ!," Haruka exclaimed as she slapped Rei on the back, almost causing the raven-haired woman to fall off the couch.

"Ow! Damn it, Haruka!" Rei scolded. She had just finished telling Haruka about her flirtatious encounter with the makeup artist at Kirei, how she had invited herself over to Rei's condo, and how they talked and drank sake for most of the night. She skipped over the part where the gorgeous blonde hugged her, knowing Haruka would probably get worried for her sake. She also skipped over their first kiss and make-out session. Even though those were her favorite memories of the night, she wanted to keep those intimate moments private.

"Haha! Sorry! I'm just so _fucking_ happy for you!," Haruka apologized as she laughed, "You lucky bastard, having the first girl you like chasing you down! Remember how long it took me to get Michiru to even go on a _date_ with me?"

Rei chuckled at the memory, "I told you Seika said if you just stopped using those damn pick-up lines and asked her out properly she would have said 'yes' the _first_ time you asked," She flicked her hair behind her shoulder, "You should be thanking your lucky stars that Michiru stayed with you _this_ long! She's _way_ out of your league!"

Haruka responded by slugging Rei in the arm, "Ow! Fuck you, Haruka!"

"No thanks, Rei," Haruka said as she let out a laugh, "I'm _way _out of your league!"

"Asshole," Rei muttered under her breath as she rubbed her sore arm.

"So, what's her name?," Haruka asked, returning to the subject at hand. Before Rei could respond, she felt something and she sat up straight, staring blankly ahead of her.

"Rei, what is it?," Haruka asked with concern. She could tell Rei had sensed something.

"Someone's coming," Rei said flatly, still in a slight trance, "No…two people. One female, one male. The male is tall, short-black hair, wearing the same outfit as me. He's _really_ tired, his aura's wavering a lot."

"That's probably Mamoru-kun," Haruka responded.

"The female works here and is walking a little bit ahead of the male," Rei continued, "Brunette, ponytail, tall, wearing a chef uniform with some type of cap, a little stressed, and…bringing the ice and glasses we asked for."

"Oh, good! That must be Mako-chan then," Haruka said.

"They're here, the woman has a master key to the room," Rei said, blinking out of her trance.

_**Knock, Knock!**_

"Come in!," Haruka called towards the door.

_**Shick...Click Click!**_

The sound of a key card being slid and the front doors unlocking were heard and a tall brunette, dressed in a pristine, white chef outfit walked in with a room-service cart that had a green gown-bag hanging off the handle. On her head, she wore a white, professional chef's head wrap that covered the top of her head and allowed her long, low ponytail to come out the back. To Rei, she also had a green aura that matched her eyes. On the cart was a tray with four, empty high-ball glasses and a full ice bucket next to another tray of four, empty champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne chilling in its own ice bucket.

Before Haruka or Rei could get up to help the chef, a tall, handsome man with short, black hair, dressed in the same outfit as Rei, managed to make it to the door and was able to hold it open from behind, allowing the chef to wheel the cart into the room with ease. Rei noted that the man's aura was silver.

"Thanks," The chef said over her shoulder to the man behind her.

"No problem," The man replied as he turned to close the door behind him.

Once the two were inside, Rei looked over smugly at Haruka, who smiled and brought a hand up to squeeze Rei's shoulder, "Way to go, Rei. Good job!" Rei beamed as Haruka got up to greet her guests.

"Hey, Mako-chan! Mamoru-kun!" Haruka said happily as she walked towards the two new-comers, "I'm so glad you two could share in this special day with us." She went to her college friend first and gave her a hug, "Thanks for hooking us all up at your hotel, Mako-chan. It really means a lot to me and Michiru."

"O-Of course, Haruka-sempai!," Makoto blushed as she bowed slightly. Though she mostly saw Haruka as a good friend, she couldn't deny that a small part of her always had a small crush on the handsome tomboy ever since Haruka recruited her to their college rugby team her first year, "It's my pleasure."

"And thanks for being here, Mamoru-kun," Haruka said as she turned to the tall, dark-haired man and shook his hand, "It was really important for Michiru to have Odango be her Maid of Honor. It means a lot to me that you also agreed to be one of my groomsmen," Haruka chuckled as she released Mamoru's hand and brought it up to rub the back of her head, "Plus, Michiru couldn't stand the idea of having an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen in the pictures!"

All four of them laughed and Mamoru replied with a winning smile, "It's my pleasure, I'm honored to be a part of it."

"Oh! Shit, where are my manners!?" Haruka exclaimed, "I don't think any of you have met each other yet, huh?" She turned to Rei first, "Mako-chan, Mamoru-kun, this is my best friend and best woman, Hino Rei. She and I grew up together and we're practically sisters." Rei stood up and politely bowed.

"This is Kino Makoto," Haruka said, gesturing to the brunette chef, "We played rugby together in college my last year. She's the Executive Chef of the Elegancia and the one who got us all the really sweet deals on our rooms." Makoto shook hands with Mamoru and nervously bowed towards the gorgeous, raven-haired woman across the room.

"Thank you for the accommodations. It's nice to finally meet you," Rei said in a reserved and polite manner to the brunette who was half a head taller than her, "Haruka has told me so much about her time in college, it's nice to put a face to a name."

"L-Likewise," Makoto said nervously as she blushed, "It's the least I could do. I have to say, I-I'm a huge sports fanatic and it's _such_ an honor to meet Haruka-sempai's closest friend and the infamous Flame Sniper in person." Rei nodded politely in acknowledgement.

"And this is Chiba Mamoru," Haruka said, gesturing to the tall man, "I'm sure you've seen him before, he's Odango's long-time boyfriend and one of the top, male supermodels in the country."

"Odango?" Makoto asked curiously.

"Tsukino Usagi," Haruka answered, "I'm sure you've seen her before, too. She's one of the top, female supermodels in the country and one of Michiru's closest friends. She's probably over in Michiru's room right now getting ready."

"Oh, wow!," Makoto said with surprise, "So the rumors _are_ true that you two are dating!? I always thought they just paired you two up all the time for ads because you were top models."

"Yes, we've been going out for years," Mamoru explained, "But our agency thinks it's best to keep that detail a secret for our images. They think we can appeal to a wider audience if we give off the impression we're single and available."

"Wow!," Makoto exclaimed as she turned to Haruka, "Now I see what you meant by needing the extra security. This is quite the star-studded event!"

Rei nodded towards Mamoru, "It's nice to meet you. Haruka's told me about you and Odango many times," Rei said in a polite yet distant manner, using the nickname she'd heard Haruka use for Usagi for so many years, "I thought the campaign you two did last year for Armani was quite elegantly done. I'm sure you two must have enjoyed doing that shoot together."

"Yes we did. Thank you," Mamoru replied with a smile, "I have to confess, I'm with Kino-san in that I'm a fan of yours as well. I actually began my career doing commercial print modeling and did some work for your company for a brief period of time before going into fashion. That gig was actually where I met Usako so it's a real honor to finally meet you." He began walking towards Rei with an outstretched hand. Haruka quickly stepped in front of him before he could reach Rei.

"Rei doesn't shake hands," Haruka said, trying to casually deter Mamoru from getting closer to her best friend. She didn't want anyone getting too close to Rei today, especially since Rei needed all the strength she could spare for later on.

Rei knew Haruka was being over-protective again and rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her stubbornly, _Mataku, I can take care of myself, Haruka!_ Though she felt a little annoyed by Haruka treating her like a baby, she was a little grateful that she didn't have to come in contact with the handsome man, no matter _how_ close of a friend he was to Haruka.

"O-Oh, my apologies, Hino-san," Mamoru said as he bowed towards Rei.

"It's fine, Chiba-san," Rei replied evenly as she nodded. She flicked her hair with her hand, "And it's not my company, it's my father's."

"I-I see," Mamoru nodded. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "W-Well, anyways, it's nice to meet you."

"Ok, then. Shall we?," Haruka said, changing the subject as she walked to the cart and picked up the tray with the four high-ball glasses and ice bucket. She went to the coffee table and set down the tray, "Mako-chan's probably really stressed today since she still has to deliver the champagne to Michi-chan's room, change, _and_ meet with the makeup artist before getting back to the kitchen to make sure everything's ready." She began putting two cubes of ice into each glass.

"H-How did you know?," Makoto asked with surprise. Haruka glanced over to Rei.

"Just a…feeling," Haruka smirked as she winked at Rei. Rei scoffed quietly and rolled her eyes at her best friend.

"U-Umm, Hino-san?," Makoto said timidly, getting the attention of the intimidating archer, "Haruka-sempai told me I didn't need to bring anything because you would be doing the honors?"

Rei nodded as she reached inside her jacket to the chest pocket. She pulled out a silver flask, wrapped in red leather, and unscrewed the cap. Once Haruka had finished putting ice in the glasses, Rei walked over and carefully poured a shot of auburn liquid into each glass. Mamoru and Makoto approached and the four stood in a circle as Haruka handed out the glasses once all of them were filled. Once they all had a glass, they looked to Rei.

"To love and eternity," Rei said as she lifted her glass, looking at Haruka, "May you always have both with Michiru. Kampai."

"Kampai!," Haruka, Mamoru, and Makoto said as they all clinked their glasses and shot the liquid. Mamoru looked at his glass with pleasant surprise.

"Hmm," Mamoru said as he smacked his lips softly, "Cinnamon?"

"Fireball Whisky," Rei replied, "It's imported from Canada."

"Good choice!," Makoto complemented.

"Fitting," Haruka smirked snarkily.

"Shut up, Haruka," Rei replied as she refilled Haruka's glass with another shot, "Drink up. This one's for your nerves, you poor bastard. You're a hot mess."

"Whatever, I'm not nervous!," Haruka scoffed indignantly.

"Uh-huh," Rei replied sarcastically under her breath as she put her glass down on the tray. She screwed the cap back on to her flask and returned it to her jacket pocket, "Tell that to your aura."

"Shut up, Rei," Haruka replied as she knocked back the whisky. Rei could see Haruka's aura begin to calm and smiled secretly, satisfied with the knowledge that she was right. Haruka, Mamoru, and Makoto placed their glasses back on the tray and Makoto picked it up and set it back on the cart.

"Ok, I'll see you all in a bit!," Makoto said cheerfully as she wheeled the cart out and left the room.

"Hey, Haru-kun," Mamoru said, turning to Haruka, "I don't mean to impose, but do you mind if I-"

"Sure, go ahead," Haruka said, gesturing to the bedroom, "We'll wake you up when we're about to leave. You can tell me all about the shoot in Australia later. I'm sure you're still jetlagged and I bet Odango made you take care of all her bags today, huh?"

"U-Ummm...yeah," Mamoru replied with slight shock and confusion, "How'd you know?"

Haruka turned to Rei and winked, "Call it a hunch," she said with a smirk. Rei rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms in a huff. She went to the couch and reclaimed the seat she had before Mamoru and Makoto arrived.

"Ok, well…thanks," Mamoru replied as he eyed the two women with a puzzled look. He went to the bedroom and shut the door.

* * *

After half an hour or so, Usagi and Minako were dressed in the same teal outfit that Ami was wearing. The instant Minako stepped out of the bathroom, she went to work expertly setting up her two rolling cases side-by-side. In a matter of seconds, she had her very own professional makeup and hair-styling station.

Her makeup station rivaled the one she had at the store, her collection boasting all possible combinations of colors, shades, and products known to man, allowing her the flexibility to do an infinite number of looks for any imaginable occasion. Her hair-styling station had different hair clips, feathers, ribbons, extensions, brushes, combs, irons, blow dryers and attachments, scissors, razors, clippers with an array of guards and blades, hand-held mirrors of varying sizes, and a vast variety of products used to tease, tame, and color hair to any style.

She quickly dried her hair and tied it up neatly with a satin, teal ribbon to match her dress. Once she finished her own makeup, she had Michiru sit on the couch and worked on her makeup, skillfully pulling from different palettes to go with her complexion and occasion. She used a light spritz of hairspray to hold Michiru's hair in place and added a clip in the shape of a delicate, white rose to keep one side of her bangs out of her eyes. Once she was done, Michiru got up and went to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room to examine herself.

Next, Minako moved on to Ami, who had been waiting patiently next to Michiru on the couch in the curve closest to the entrance. Knowing the petite woman liked keeping her makeup simple, she finished with her fairly quickly and used a curling iron briefly on her bangs. Upon finishing, Ami happily put her glasses on, curled up on the couch, and picked up where she had left off in reading the latest edition of a thick research journal on genetics. Minako shuddered reflexively at the thought of reading something so utterly boring _for fun_. But she was always amazed by how Ami was able to still be engaged with them in conversation while simultaneously reading extremely complex, scientific material.

Minako purposefully saved Usagi for last since she knew her hair would take the longest to put up into her signature buns and twin-tails and she would need to do that before doing her makeup.

All the while, the three women were grilling Minako about the _friend_ she spent the night with. Actually..._Usagi_ grilled her while Michiru and Ami were only able to squeeze in one or two questions of their own. Minako told them about the stunning client that came to Kirei, how she invited herself over to the woman's condo, and how they talked and drank sake for most of the night. She, miraculously, managed to evade questions about any of the more intimate moments of the night. Though Minako was usually open to sharing details about her relationships with her sister and close friends, she had developed quite a protectiveness over Rei and got the sense that the raven-haired beauty would prefer keeping such things private for now.

"Mou, Usa-neechan! Sit still!," Minako scolded as she applied the finishing touches of mascara to her sister's eyelashes, "I don't have time to redo this if you make me mess up!"

"I can't help it! I'm just so excited for you!," Usagi squealed giddily.

"There! Finished!," Minako said triumphantly as she quickly stepped back to allow her sister to bounce off the walls as much as she wanted. She turned to her two stations and packed them up with ease.

"So when are we going to meet her!? What's her name!?" Usagi asked excitedly. She jumped up from the couch and bounced up and down, clapping her hands.

"U-Ummm, well-," Minanko began nervously.

_**Knock, Knock!**_

Before Minako could continue, a knock came from the door, effectively interrupting the conversation. Minako breathed a sigh of relief, _Whew, saved!__  
_

"I'll get that!,"Minako said a little too eagerly as she went to the door. When she opened it, a tall brunette in a chef outfit and chef head wrap entered, wheeling in a room-service cart with a green gown-bag hanging from the handle.

"Thanks," The chef smiled at Minako as she entered, "I was going to key myself in but I would've needed help keeping the door open. I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"Ara, Mako-chan," Michiru said sweetly as she gracefully turned from the mirror to greet the new guest, "Everyone, this is Kino Makoto," she said as she gestured to the brunette, "Haruka was her rugby sempai in college. She's the Executive Chef of the Elegancia and the one that got us the discounts on our rooms."

She gestured towards Usagi, who happened to be standing closest to her, "Mako-chan, meet Aino Usagi. She and I went to college together and she's my Maid of Honor. You might know her better as Tsukino Usagi and as one of the top female supermodels in the country."

"Mmn, it's nice to meet you," Makoto nodded towards Usagi with a shy smile, "I just came from Haruka-sempai's room and met Chiba-san. You two make a really cute couple."

"Thanks!," Usagi beamed as she nodded, "It's nice to meet you too."

Michiru then gestured to Minako, who was closing the front door behind Makoto, "Behind you is Aino Minako, her twin sister. She's the genius makeup artist we mentioned who would be doing our makeup today. She's also a professional cosmetologist and has graciously offered to do our hair as well."

"Nice to meet you," Makoto turned and nodded to Minako who nodded back, "I'll be using your services in a bit if that's ok?"

"Mmn, of course!," Minako replied cheerfully.

"And over here on the couch is Mizuno Ami," Michiru continued, gesturing to the blunette who still had her nose in her book on the couch, "She went to high school with Usagi-chan and Mina-chan and we all became friends after Usagi-chan and I met in college. Ami-chan's studying to be a doctor in the States but is already a well-known scientist in her own right for her research on genetics and DNA."

Ami quickly got to a good stopping point in her reading and stood up as she placed her book down on the couch. As she turned, she took off her glasses and was about to give a polite bow towards the new guest until she fully took in her image. Immediately, Ami's cheeks were painted with a soft blush as her baby-blue eyes locked onto the chef's forest-green eyes.

Being the only person on the other side of the room besides Makoto with a full view of Ami's face, Minako raised an eyebrow as her azure eyes darted from Ami to Makoto. She smiled slyly and cleared her throat loudly.

The abrupt sound caused Ami to jump a little and bring her out of whatever musings she was lost in. Blushing deeply now, she gave a polite bow towards Makoto, "I-It's n-nice to meet you...K-Kino-san," Ami stuttered as she straightened and kept her eyes fixed to the ground in front of her bashfully.

Makoto couldn't respond as she was staring in awe at the petite, shy blunette, practically gaping at her. Minako's playful sapphires darted from Makoto to Ami to Michiru, who was smiling knowingly and winked at Minako from across the room. Being closest to Makoto, Minako smirked as she gently nudged the chef with her elbow.

"O-Oh, sorry! N-Nice to meet you too!," Makoto stammered, turning a shade of pink as she continued to stare at the flushed scientist. After a slight pause, it was Michiru turn to clear her throat.

"Mako-chan, we'll have plenty of time to catch up later tonight. I'm sure you have a lot of things to do downstairs right now," Michiru said sweetly. She gestured towards the bedroom, "Why don't you use my bedroom to change and Mina-chan can do your hair and makeup once you're done?," she suggested.

"Wh-What?...O-Oh! Yeah! Right! Sorry!," Makoto said quickly, shaking her head slightly as she snapped out of her one-way staring contest with Ami, who still had her gaze firmly affixed to the floor, "I-I'll just leave these for you all then. Thanks, Michi-chan." Michiru nodded as Makoto grabbed her gown-bag and quickly went to the bedroom.

* * *

Once Makoto had closed and locked the door of the bedroom, Minako and Michiru looked at each other and giggled while Ami turned a darker shade of red from embarrassed.

"What's so funny?," Usagi asked. She was dumbfounded as she looked between Minako and Michiru, "Did I miss something?"

"Ara, Usagi-chan, you didn't notice how Mako-chan was smitten by our little Ami-chan?," Michiru asked in a stage whisper.

"WAIT, WHAT!?," Usagi squealed with surprise, "WHEN!? JUST NOW!?"

"Mataku, Usa-neechan," Minako sighed as she facepalmed, "You're so dense sometimes!"

"Mou, Mina-chan!," Usagi whined as she pouted.

"Nevermind, we'll talk about it later. C'mon, let's do this," Minako said, changing the subject to save Ami from anymore embarrassment, _If poor Ami-chan gets any redder, she might pass out!, _Minako thought.

Minako wheeled the cart to the middle of the room, unscrewed the cage from the champagne cork, and carefully uncorked the bottle. Once she had filled the four flutes, the other three women came to stand around the cart, "Usa-neechan, you should do the honors," Minako suggested.

"Sure," Usagi said cheerfully. She raised her glass, and looked at Michiru, "Michi-chan, we love you and wish you and Haru-chan all the happiness in the world. And, remember, we'll always be here for you so just because you're married doesn't mean you become a stranger, ok?," She winked at Michiru, who smiled and nodded firmly, "Kampai."

"Kampai!," The four women clinked their glasses and sipped their champagne. Minako looked at the clock and quickly put her glass down on the table after taking a sip, "Ok, while Kino-san is changing, I should go over to Haru-chan's room to see if she's ready for me."

"Good idea. She's in the suite that's two-doors down and to the left," Michiru said as Minako grabbed her rolling cases and began wheeling them to the front door, "The key card to that room is the one on the table by the door. Just make sure to bring it back, ok?"

"Yes, ma'aaam!," Minako replied cheerfully. She grabbed the key card from the table near the door and headed out with her cases in tow.

* * *

**Author Note:** Cliffhanger, I know. The way the story broke down just happened that way.**  
**

Even though there's hints of Ami/Mako in this story, I'm not really going to delve that much deeper into it for this story. Though I think they're a cute pairing, I don't even know where to _begin_ to write about them getting or being together so I'll just leave that to more talented writers.

_Fun Fact:_ Anyone catch the very subtle ocean-reference for Michiru? For anyone that's curious, the number of rows in the item I'm talking about represents each member in her 'household' including herself to keep them close to her heart ^_^

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note:** This was one of my favorite chapters to write. I hope you like it too!

**Ofuda** = [Japanese] The paper charms that Rei/Sailor Mars uses in the manga, anime, and PGSM.

**-niichan** = [Japanese] "older brother"

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

"I think the makeup artist should be here at any moment," Haruka said casually. She had resumed her position standing in front of the full-length mirror, turning and examining her outfit for anything even the _slightest_ bit out of place.

"Ugh," Rei groaned with annoyance as she rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and allowed herself to fall back into the couch, "I'd rather not."

"I know you always say they overdo it," Haruka replied with a smirk as she pulled at her jacket lapels, "But you always end up looking really good."

"Yeah, if you're into clowns or drag queens," Rei muttered snarkily under her breath. She looked away and huffed, slouching more into the couch. Suddenly, her lavender eyes widened as she felt a mischievous, royal-blue aura approach her from behind the couch.

"I wonder what Michiru will think if I told her you insinuated she looked like a clown or a drag queen," Haruka whispered musingly with an edge of playful teasing into Rei's ear. Rei immediately jumped up from the couch and whipped around to look at Haruka with a hint of panic in her amethyst eyes.

"Don't you _fucking_ dare!," Rei half-yelled, half-pleaded, "That's _not_ what I said and you know it!"

"Hey, you're the one who said if I thought someone looked good it probably means they look like a clown or a drag queen," Haruka said with feigned innocence as she straightened. She casually shrugged, "So, if I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with Michiru, it stands to reason that you must think she looks like a clown or a drag queen, right?"

"B-Baka!," Rei spat. Before she could lunge over the couch and wrestle the race car driver into taking back what she said, Rei immediately froze as she felt a strong pull on her senses that demanded all of her attention. Her violet eyes grew wide as they stared distantly past Haruka. Her heart began to race, _No way! It…It can't be! That means...that means what I felt this whole time was really-_

"Rei? Rei, what is it?," Haruka asked curiously as she saw Rei's eyes glaze over, "Is it the makeup artist?"

_'Makeup artist'...Holy shit!, _ Rei thought as she blinked herself out of her trance, "Haruka, who is she!?"

"Who? The makeup artist?," Haruka asked with confusion. She raised an eyebrow at Rei and looked at her quizzically, "Shouldn't y_ou_ be tell _me_ who-"

"I mean, how do you know her!?," Rei asked impatiently, _Kami-sama, I can't stop my heart from beating out of my chest!_

"Why?," Haruka asked with concern. She immediately turned serious, "What's going on, Rei? Is something wrong?"

"Damn it, Haruka, just _tell_ me!," Rei snapped in agitation.

"Ok, ok! Easy, Rei," Haruka replied, raising her hands innocently to calm her best friend down, "She's one of Michiru's friends. She's actually Odango's-"

"What's her name!?," Rei interrupted.

"Her name? It's-," Haruka began.

_**Knock, Knock!**_

"Kami-sama, it's _really_ her...She's _really_ here," Rei gasped softly, her eyes were glazed again as she sensed the person who was now just beyond the door.

_**Shick...Click Click!**_

Rei shook her head slightly, bringing herself out of her trance, and quickly whipped her head to her left, bringing all of her attention to the sound of a key card being slid and the front doors unlocking. Haruka's attention went to the entrance as well as it opened.

* * *

"Haru-chan, I'm here to do your hair and makeup if you're-," Minako began but stopped when she walked half-way through the door and saw…

"...Rei-chan?," Minako gasped softly.

_**Crash! Clunk! Thunk, thunk!**_

In her state of shock, the two rolling cases Minako had wheeled in with her slipped from her grasps and made loud, crashing noises as they both hit the ground. The sound went unheard by the beautiful, raven-haired woman and the gorgeous blonde staring at each other from across the room with their mouths open in disbelief.

"Minak-Oof!," Was all Rei could whisper before she had the wind knocked right out of her. She felt herself being forced to fall backwards.

_**Thud!**_

Rei found herself on her back, staring at the ceiling, with a familiar weight lying on top of her. As she caught her breath, the scent of strawberries filled her lungs and a warm, orange-gold aura invaded her senses, filling her entire being. She relaxed and exhaled contently. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall into its comforting embrace.

"M-Mina-chan!," Haruka exclaimed. One minute, Minako was at the door. The next, she had sprinted towards Rei and pounced on her, causing both women to fall to the ground with Minako lying on top of Rei, her's arms wrapped tightly around Rei's neck. By the time Haruka registered what had happened, she watched in shock and horror as Rei let out a breath and her violet eyes closed.

_Fuck! Rei must have seen this coming and was trying to warn me!_, Haruka though to herself in a panic,_ Of all people, I didn't think she'd get attacked by Mina-chan! Shit! She's going to kill Rei with her aura at that close of a range!_

Haruka was about to dart around the couch, grab Minako, and forcefully pry her off of Rei until Rei's amethyst eyes shot open and went to Haruka. The archer quickly held her hand up to the race car driver, stopping her dead in her tracks. Haruka was stunned by the intensity in Rei's lavender eyes and the emotions that swirled within them. Though she didn't have Rei's abilities, she felt as if she could read Rei's thoughts through her eyes that said both 'Don't worry' and 'Don't you _dare_ fucking touch her'.

"R-Rei…," Haruka whispered in shock.

"It's ok, Haruka," Rei said calmly with reassurance, "I'm ok."

_More than ok,_ Rei thought as a smile slowly formed on her lips. Haruka's jaw dropped as she watched Rei close her eyes and gently wrap her arms around the gorgeous blonde.

"Hello, Minako," Rei said softly with a warm tone as she brought her attention back to the smaller woman on top of her.

_'Minako'?, _Haruka thought. Not only did Rei know Minako's name, she noted the lacking honorific and it took Haruka by surprise. That was something Rei only did with herself and Michiru, her childhood friends that were practically her older sisters.

"I thought I was going crazy and seeing things," Minako said just as softly and warmly, "But it's _really_ you. You're _really_ here. I'm so happy to see you, Rei-chan."

_'Rei-chan'?__, _Haruka thought. She shook her head, _What the hell is going on here!?_ All this was getting too confusing for her.

Before Haruka could voice her confusion, Minako shot up to her hands and knees, abruptly breaking out of Rei's embrace, "Wait! What're you doing here!?," Minako exclaimed.

Rei chuckled as she propped herself up on her elbows, "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

A loud, deliberate cough interrupted their conversation. They both turned towards the sound to see an amused Haruka smirking down at the two of them from behind the couch.

"H-Haru-chan!," Minako exclaimed, "I-I didn't notice you standing there!" Her face turned pink as she quickly scrambled to her feet. Rei groaned a little as she got up. Once she was on her feet, she brushed her suit with her hands_. _Thanks to her toned physique, she was able to take the sudden impact from Minako and the collision with the floor fairly well. She quickly stretched the brief soreness out of her muscles once she straightened.

"Well, it seems like I don't need to introduce you two," Haruka said amusingly, "But I guess I should for formality's sake." She looked at Minako as she gestured to Rei, "Mina-chan, meet Hino Rei. She's my best woman and the 'sister' and best friend I've told you about who Michiru and I grew up with. You _might_ have seen her before, she's pretty handy with a bow and arrow."

As Minako slowly turned from Haruka to Rei, her cobalt eyes began to widen. Rei could see the overwhelming shock and realization being emitted from the blonde woman's aura as the pieces began coming together in her mind. She braced herself for the inevitable.

"HOLY _FUCKING_ SHIT! YOU'RE THE FLAME SNIPER! THE OLYMPIC ARCHER, HEIR TO, AND SPOKESPERSON FOR HINO SPORTING ENTERPRISE!," Minako screamed in shock. Rei, being closest to Minako, got the brunt of her screaming. She winced at the pain in her ears and at Minako's almost overwhelmingly blinding aura as it radiated with shock.

"MINA-CHAN!," Haruka scolded in her 'dad' voice, "There's _absolutely no_ need to yell!"

Minako, realizing what she had done, turned bright red and covered her mouth with her hands, "S-Sorry," Minako said in a more reasonable volume. She couldn't stop staring wide-eyed at Rei, who was blushing nervously and found the floor very interesting to look at.

Haruka facepalmed, "Mataku, Mina-chan! Sometimes you're just as bad as Odango."

"Mou, Haru-chan!," Mina whined as she turned towards Haruka with a huff, "I was just surprised, that's all. You_ know_ I'm not as bad as Usa-neechan!"

Rei's head shot up and she stared wide-eyed at Minako, "'Odango'?…'Usa-neechan'?…," Rei whispered mostly to herself but loud enough for Haruka and Minako to hear.

"And that takes us to the other half of the introductions," Haruka continued. She looked at Rei as she gestured to Minako, "Rei, this is Aino Minako. When you asked me earlier how I knew her, I was trying to tell you she's one of Michiru's friends and Odango's sister. She's the genius makeup artist who's going to be doing our makeup today."

Haruka couldn't see it, but Minako had caught on that Rei had stopped listening. Her amethyst eyes clearly showed that she was beginning to putting two and two together on her own. It was Minako's turn to brace herself for the inevitable.

"Usa-nee..._USAGI_-NEECHAN!? _SUPERMODEL_ USAGI!? YOU'RE TSUKINO USAGI'S TWIN SISTER!," Rei screamed in shock. Minako, took a step back, wincing as she covered her ears with her hands.

"REI!," Haruka scolded, using her 'dad' voice again, "Damn it, you two! Calm _the fuck_ down!"

"Y-Yeah, s-she's my-OW!," Minako began hesitantly but was quickly interrupted by the sensation of sharp pain coming from both sides of her head where Rei had grabbed handfuls of hair and held her blonde locks up so they looked like twin-tails. Haruka couldn't help but burst into a fit of loud laughter at the sight.

"Holy shit," Rei whispered. Her eyes were still wide with shock as she loosened her grip and took a slight step back, "You two really _are_ twins."

"Mou, Rei-chan!," Minako chided as she swatted Rei's hands away. She took a step back and quickly smoothed out her hair, "I _just_ did my hair! Couldn't you have just read my aura like you did last night to see if it was true!?"

Haruka's roaring laughter came to an abrupt halt, "Wait…'last night'?"

Rei and Minako froze. They slowly turned to look at the tall tomboy nervously, who was staring at the two women, her dark-blue eyes growing wide as her jaw dropped.

"Oh, fuck," Rei and Minako whispered at the same time. Both were able to cover their ears in time.

"NO _FUCKING_ WAY!," Haruka screamed as she looked to Rei and gestured towards Minako, "_SHE'S_ THE SEXY, BLONDE BOMBSHELL YOU MET WHO STAYED AT YOUR PLACE YESTERDAY WHEN YOU WENT TO GET MY TUX!?"

"BAKA!," Rei yelled fiercely as she vaulted over the couch. As she was airborne, she used her momentum to sock Haruka in the shoulder, hard.

"OW!," Haruka yelled.

"SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR RUNNING YOUR MOUTH, ASSHOLE!," Rei snapped as she landed easily and spun to glare at her best friend, readying herself for a potential counterattack. She could feel her face was deeply flushed with embarrassment. Her lavender eyes nervously caught a glimpse of Minako behind Haruka. The gorgeous blonde had covered her mouth with her hands and turned a shade of beet-red.

_**...knock, knock...**_

As if on queue, the sound of a soft knocking came from the front doors, effectively interrupting the scene. The three women turned towards that direction as one of the doors slowly opened.

* * *

A child, no older than eight years old, with shoulder-length hair as dark as Rei's and clear, deep-purple eyes peeked her head into the room shyly.

"Haruka-papa? Is...Is everything ok?," The child said with concern in a soft voice as clear as a bell, "I heard a lot of yelling."

"H-Hotaru," Haruka said softly with surprise. She quickly composed herself as she beamed at her 'adopted daughter' with a wide smile, "Yeah, everything's fine, kiddo. Did you come all the way up here just to see me?"

"Mmn," Hotaru nodded shyly, "I wanted to see you and Michiru-mama. I was going to use the key, but the door was propped open by these big boxes." She gestured toward the rolling cases on the floor that Minako had dropped earlier, "I can...I can come back if you're busy."

Haruka knelt down so that she was closer to Hotaru's height. She opened her arms towards the child, "I'm _never_ too busy for you, Hotaru. Come in, I'm glad you came to see me."

The girl's deep-purple eyes lit up as a smile graced her angelic face. She carefully pushed the door open wider, revealing the simple, white, flower girl dress she was wearing that had a dark-purple sash tied around the waist. She ran into Haruka's arms and wrapped her small arms around the race car driver's neck. A sweet giggle came from the girl as Haruka hugged her tightly and picked her up from the ground. Once Haruka straightened, she used one arm to support the girl's weight while she rested her other hand on her back, holding her steady. When Hotaru released her hold from Haruka's neck and pulled away to look at her 'adopted papa', Haruka smiled,

"So, have you been helping Setsuna-mama a lot downstairs?," Haruka asked, referring to her and Michiru's housemate and wedding planner, Meiou Setsuna. Setsuna and Michiru had been paired together as roommates their first year of college and hit it off so well that they continued to be roommates for the rest of their time at school.

Tomoe Hotaru was the daughter of Setsuna's older sister, making her Setsuna's biological niece. Hotaru's father, Tomoe Souichi, was a famous scientist who died tragically in a laboratory explosion shortly after Hotaru was born, leaving her mother, Tomoe Keiko, to care for Hotaru on her own as a single mother. During Setsuna's second year of college, Keiko found out she had Pancreatic cancer. Since she was required to stay overnight at the hospital for treatment quite often, she would leave Hotaru in Setsuna's care each time. Setsuna loved her niece and looked after her as if she were her own.

As time went on and Keiko had to be hospitalized for longer periods of time, Michiru and Haruka stepped up and helped Setsuna care for Hotaru while they all continued their schooling. Sadly, in their last year of college, Setsuna's sister passed away and arranged for Setsuna to be the official guardian of her only child.

As graduation drew nearer for Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka, they began planning their separate futures. Hotaru, having grown accustomed to being cared for by her three 'adopted parents' whom she adored more than anything in the world, made a passing comment about wishing they could all stay together forever so she wouldn't have to say goodbye to yet another parent. From then on, there was no question in the three women's minds that they would all live together and continue to raise Hotaru as a family of sorts once they graduated, which they did.

"Yes, Haruka-papa," Hotaru replied happily, "She told me to come tell everyone that we have 30 minutes before we have to start."

"Thank you, Hotaru," Haruka smiled, "Did you already tell Michiru-mama?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied with an enthusiastic nod, "I saw her and she's _so_ pretty!"

"She always is," Haruka said warmly as she brought a finger to tap Hotaru once playfully on the nose. She planted a big kiss on Hotaru's cheek before setting her back down on the floor, "Thank you for being such a good helper today. You remember Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama's friends, right?" She asked as she looked towards Rei, who had landed to her right after her vault, and Minako to her left, who was still standing at the front of the couch. Both women had also quickly collected and composed themselves when Hotaru appeared at the door.

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied with a firm nod. She smiled as she turned to Minako and bowed politely, "Good afternoon, Mina-neechan!"

"Good afternoon, Hotaru-chan," Minako smiled as she nodded back, "Have you been practicing the makeup tips I showed you last time?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru nodded proudly as she straightened, "Can you do my makeup like you did for Michiru-mama? I want to look just a pretty as her today!"

"Of course!," Minako replied. Hotaru smiled as she then turned to Rei and bowed politely.

"Good afternoon, Rei-niichan!," Hotaru greeted cheerfully.

"Good afternoon, Firefly," Rei nodded with a smile towards her 'adopted niece', using the pet-name she had for her.

"Do we have time right now for you to do that thing?," Hotaru asked excitedly as she straightened.

Rei smirked, "I think so. But you have to help me, ok?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru nodded eagerly as she ran over to Rei, who knelt down so she was at eye-level with Hotaru. Rei brought her hands to Hotaru's small shoulders, turning her so that they were side-by-side and facing the double-door entrance.

"This should be enough space," Rei said as she examined the area between them and the doors, which only had carpet and no furniture obstructions. She turned to Hotaru and asked, "So, what is it that you want today?"

"Ummm…a hummingbird!" Hotaru said excitedly.

Rei smiled, "Ok, a hummingbird it is then."

* * *

Haruka walked around the couch to stand next to Minako and out of the way, "You have to see this. Rei used to do this at the shrine for the kids during festivals," Haruka whispered to Minako proudly.

"What?," Minako whispered curiously, "What is she going to do?"

"You'll see," Haruka winked. Minako watched as Rei kept one hand gently on Hotaru's shoulder while her other hand reached into her pocket and brought out what looked like a small ofuda that fit in the palm of her pale hand. Rei closed her eyes and began whispering inaudibly over it.

"Rei's always been good with kids," Haruka whispered, "It's so cute to see her around them."

As Minako watched, she began to chuckle, "When Rei mentioned she grew up with her grandfather and two friends who ended up getting together. I would have _never_ guessed it was you and Michi-chan," Minako said softly, "But it makes _so_ much sense now since she said one of them was like a big sister and the other was more of a big brother since she was kind of a jock."

Haruka chuckled softly, "Mmn, we've known each other most of our lives because of our parents," she whispered. She leaned a little closer to Minako, "Rei told me you two had quite the intense getting-to-know-you session last night and-"

"Nothing happened," Minako quickly interrupted in a hushed whisper as she blushed, "We just talked, that's all."

"I know," Haruka replied softly, "She told me you two talked the whole night and you slept over because it was so late." Minako breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the Gods for her previous intuition of keeping the more intimate details of last night's events private from Usagi, Michiru, and Ami, "It sounds like she told you a lot about herself already, so this'll be a lot easier for me to say to you."

Minako turned and looked at Haruka with a puzzled expression. She watched as Haruka's face fell slightly, her dark-blue eyes still trained on Rei, "She…didn't really have a family or friends other than us and her grandfather growing up. Mostly it was because of her abilities and…because her father is a fucking asshole. Rei's like our little sister so Michiru and I are really protective of her and try to watch over her."

She turned towards Minako, "There was this one incident when she was in elementary school. A new transfer student in her class was running late and, when she rounded the corner of the classroom door, ran into and fell on top of Rei. It was such a strain on Rei that she was unconscious for more than a day. When you tackled her earlier, I was about ready to throw you across the room if she hadn't've stopped me." Haruka smiled softly, "She must _really_ like you to let you be that close to her and share so much with you."

Minako blushed at the comment. Haruka turned serious as she continued, her dark-blue eyes filled with deep concern as she whispered, "I know you two just met last night and it seems like you two hit it off extremely well, but...I guess what I'm trying to say is…well…you know I love you, Mina-chan, but I know you've been in quite a few relationships. Rei hasn't and she's not like anyone you've ever met before. She's different. No...not different, she's special. And she's someone really important to me and Michiru. So, if you _ever_ hurt her, you'll have to answer to both of us. And you know how _Michiru _can get when she's mad."

Oh, did Minako know. Not that she ever did anything to invoke the wrath of the teal-haired woman who always had infinite patience for those she cared about, but she _had_ seen glimpses of it throughout the years. Michiru was infamous for dealing out severe punishments towards those who wrong her or her friends. It's what made her such a great friend, but it could also become a deadly curse if you ever got on her bad side.

"You're right," Minako replied softly as she glanced over at the raven-haired woman, "I haven't known Rei-chan all that long. Hell, I've only known her for less than a day." She brought her sapphire gaze to meet Haruka's straight on, "But there are two things I know for certain, that I'm very well aware of," she said with confidence, "One, is how special Rei-chan is and, two, if you didn't notice by that flying-leap I did on her earlier, is the fact that I really like her too."

Her brow furrowed as she turned her gaze back towards the beautiful archer again, "I like her a lot, Haru-chan. I really do and I don't _ever_ _intend_ on hurting her. But...I also can't make any promises. I mean, we _literally_ just started dating, you know?"

"...I guess that's fair enough," Haruka smiled, satisfied with Minako's sincere and honest answer as she turned back to look at her best friend, "But I don't think you know how special she really is. At least, not until you see this."

A thought came to Minako as she watched Rei and Hotaru, "Hey, Haru-chan? Rei _did_ mention that you all were really protective of her getting close to people because of her abilities. Why is it then that you're letting her be near Hotaru-chan?"

"From what Rei's grandfather and Michiru told me, it's because children's auras aren't as strong as adults," Haruka whispered, "They're auras are also more pure so sometimes it's even healing or energizing for her to be around children. I think that's why she's so good with them. Once Hotaru turns 13, that'll change. Her aura will become mature enough that it'll no longer have that healing affect on Rei and, instead, could potentially drain her."

"If that's the case, when her classmate ran into her, why was she taken out so hard?," Minako asked curiously.

"Because their auras were at the same…wavelength, so to speak," Haruka explained, "Plus, at the time, Rei was still learning to control her abilities without letting it overpower her so she wasn't as strong as she is now. It wasn't until _she_ turned 13 that her grandpa even allowed her to get involved with activities at school or with the shrine festivals because he was afraid of all the kids running around and possibly hurting her again."

Haruka sighed as she watched her best friend, "To the world, Rei comes off as really curt and cold, but it's mostly a defense mechanism because of her abilities. Once she lets someone in, her love and loyalty runs really deep. I mean, you can see it right now with Hotaru. I saw it when she stopped me from taking you out. It's one of her best traits."

"One of many," Minako giggled to herself as she thought back to yesterday's interaction at Kirei.

"Shh, here it comes," Haruka whispered excitedly.

* * *

Rei opened her eyes and, smiling warmly, she turned to Hotaru, "Alright, go ahead. Just do it gently so it doesn't go out too quickly, ok?" She brought her hand with the ofuda up in front of Hotaru's face. Hotaru nodded and blew gently on the thin sheet of paper. It wavered from the movement of air and soon became airborne, blowing out of Rei's hand.

As it left Rei's hand, it slowly ignited and became a small ball of fire that floated in midair. Minako was in awe as she watched Rei carefully lower her hand and slowly take a deep breath. The raven-haired beauty blew gently on the small ball of fire and it moved forward a few feet. As it did, the ball began to unravel into the shape of a small, fiery hummingbird.

Hotaru squealed and clapped her hands with delight. The hummingbird's wings were beating rapidly as it darted forward, to the left, then to the right a few inches each way, leaving a small trail of white smoke that disappeared quickly in its wake. It then turned back around and flew within a foot of Rei and Hotaru before it paused and hovered in front of them. Rei glanced over at Minako from the corner of her eye and gave her a mischievous half-smile before she looked back to the fiery creature. Minako watched with confusion and a hint of nervousness as Rei lifted a finger and pointed towards Minako.

The hummingbird turned its head towards Minako and quickly crossed the room until it stopped within a foot from her at eye-level with her wide, azure eyes. Minako was mesmerized by the sight of the little hummingbird hovering in front of her. After a brief couple seconds, the small creature took a small, polite bow before it fizzled into white smoke and disappeared into thin air.

Minako blinked a few times to bring herself back. She was speechless. Her sapphire gaze went back to the raven-haired woman who wore a soft smile and was blushing slightly. Rei's intense, amethyst eyes were looking back at her as if seeing through to her very soul. Hotaru clapped her hands and gave Rei a big hug.

"That was _so_ cool, Rei-niichan!," She squealed. Rei hugged Hotaru back but never broke her gaze from Minako.

"What did I tell you?," Haruka whispered proudly as she leaned over to Minako.

"…Wow," Minako whispered, not taking her gaze off of Rei. Her heart was beating so hard she barely heard Haruka speaking to her.

To the others in the room, they saw a fiery hummingbird fly in front of Minako and disappear. To Minako, she saw something else.

When the hummingbird was hovering in front of her, she saw a fiery creature with a palpable strength of will, wanting to continue burning strongly. But it was also a delicate, gentle, and hesitant creature. It looked as if it wanted to reach out to Minako, to hover closer, but something held it back. As Minako looked at Rei now, she didn't see the image of an archer who would occasionally grace magazines ads or television commercials. She didn't see a miko with a gift that allowed her to read people's auras, psychically read thoughts, and make fire come to life. In those lavender eyes, she saw that same, fiery strength of will, that same delicate, gentle, yet hesitant creature.

Yes, Haruka was right, Rei _was_ special...so _very_ special. She felt herself becoming lost in the beautiful, raven-haired woman's intense gaze.

* * *

Though Rei was hugging her 'adopted niece' and could feel her giddy, playful, dark-purple aura exuding an unconditional love that only children could give, all of her attention was on the gorgeous blonde who stood only a few feet away. Rei knew that a small part of her aura needed to be infused with the ofuda in order to create such magical, fiery creatures like the hummingbird she just made. At first, when she commanded the hummingbird to visit Minako, she was just trying to impress the gorgeous blonde. Thinking about it now, she realized she was subconsciously hoping her aura would reach Minako in some way.

Rei received a lot of love and support from her grandfather, Haruka, and Michiru growing up and she felt forever indebted to them for that. But, even with that, she still harbored deep wounds about being so different. Not special, but different. Yeah, sure, she liked being able to use her abilities when it came in handy or to make those closest to her heart happy, like the young girl who was hugging her so tightly right now.

But, in the end, she was always the mysterious miko who lived at a shrine and had unnatural powers that most at school stayed away from out of fear. She was the psychic fortune-teller who was used by those who visited the shrine for their selfish questions on future, fortune, and love. She was the unwanted daughter, her very existence overlooked or, at the very least, seen as a nuisance by her own father who used her as a pawn for his own selfish, business means. She was the perfect, glamorous, archery ace, spokesperson, and heir to one of the largest companies in the country who had to keep up appearances and could never let her guard down, who everyone treated like royalty, or a star, or untouchable. Even her grandfather and her 'sisters', thought unintentionally, treated her with kid-gloves like a porcelain doll which only underscored how different she really was from the rest of the world.

All she ever, truly wanted in life was to feel normal, to be treated like everyone else and to be seen, to be _really_ seen, for who she was beyond the abilities, beyond the façade she was forced to live, beyond the walls she was forced to build, beyond her successes and social status.

And, in this brief moment, Rei saw it in the depths of Minako's captivating, cerulean eyes. There was no fear, no ulterior motives, no pity, no frivolous, superficial admiration she would see in annoying fans who _thought_ they knew her but were _gravely_ mistaken. In the addictive, orange-gold sanctuary that radiated from the gorgeous blonde where Rei only recently discovered pure solace, she saw it glowing strongly with…pure and utter adoration.

She was no longer an archer, a pawn, a porcelain doll, a freak, a nuisance. In that moment, Rei felt special. She knew in her heart that Minako saw her…and what she saw...was Rei.

* * *

The looks Rei and Minako were giving each other didn't escape Haruka's notice, _Less than 24 hours and they're already falling so hard for each other. They're practically head over heels! _She smiled to herself, seeing how happy Rei looked as she stared at Minako and how infatuated Minako was with staring at Rei.

The two were interrupted when Haruka called to Hotaru, "Ok, kiddo, what do you say to Rei?"

"Thank you, Rei-niichan!" Hotaru sang.

"Your very welcome, Firefly," Rei replied, bringing her attention back to her 'adopted niece'.

_**Knock, Knock!**_

Just then, a knock came and the front door opened. A woman, who was the same height as Michiru, with tanned skin, long, dark-green hair, and the same deep-purple eyes as Hotaru peeked her head in.

"There you are, Hotaru!," the attractive woman said, "I was wondering where you ran off to, you were gone for so long."

"Setsuna-mama!," Hotaru said cheerfully, "You just missed one of Rei-niichan's fire tricks!"

"Aww, that's too bad. Perhaps next time, Rei-kun?," Setsuna replied with a soft smile as she came in the room. She wore a flattering, pinstripe, black suit with a green blouse that matched her hair.

"Mmn, of course," Rei replied with a smile and nod as she stood up.

"Hotaru said we had about 30 minutes or so?," Haruka asked as she looked to Setsuna.

"More like 20 now," Setsuna replied, "I was just coming up to check in with Mina-chan." She turned towards Minako, "Michiru told me that you were still working on hair and makeup. Do you need a little more time?"

"No, I'm good," Minako replied reassuringly, "Mamoru-kun told me earlier today that he wanted to do his own hair so I just have Haru-chan, Rei-chan, and Kino-san left. It shouldn't take that long so we'll be ready to go downstairs on time."

"Me too, me too!," Hotaru said jumping up and down.

"Sorry, Hotaru," Setsuna said apologetically, reaching out a hand towards Hotaru, "I need you to come downstairs with me so Mina-chan can finish helping everyone get ready. C'mon, hun."

"Awww," Hotaru responded disappointedly. Minako smiled as she walked towards the crestfallen child and knelt down to her level.

"I promise when I'm done here I'll bring my things downstairs and do your makeup right before we start, ok?," Minako said cheerfully with a wink.

Hotaru's eyes lit up and she hugged Minako tightly, "Thanks, Mina-neechan!"

"No problem, Hotaru-chan," Minako replied kindly as she returned Hotaru's hug, "Now, be a good girl and go with Setsuna-mama downstairs, ok?"

"Mmn! See you soon!," Hotaru replied happily as she pulled away and ran towards Setsuna who took her hand and they both left the room.

* * *

Minako stood back up and sighed. The three women looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Well…_that_ was quite the whirlwind of events, wasn't it?," Haruka sighed tiredly, breaking the silence and referring to the events that transpired since Minako entered the room. She shook her head, "What a small, fucking world."

"Mmn," Minako agreed with a soft nod. She began fidgeting with her hands and looking at the floor, blushing from embarrassment from the earlier events.

"No kidding," Rei sighed, running her hand through her long, silky hair.

Before anyone could say anything else, the bedroom doors opened and a groggy-looking Mamoru walked into the room towards the three women, "Man, what the hell was all that noise?," he yawned as he rubbed his eyes, "Is it time already?"

_**Knock, Knock!**_

At that same moment, the front door opened and Makoto peeked her head into the room.

"Aino-san, I wanted to see if you were ready for me?," Makoto asked.

Haruka facepalmed and groaned tiredly, "Rei, give me your flask. I think I'm going to need a little more."

"Me first," Rei groaned. She already had her hand in her jacket, reaching to retrieve the container. Once she pulled it out, she quickly unscrewed the cap and took a big swig. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she handed the flask over to Haruka, who took two big swigs.

_So that's the best friend who taught Rei how to drink, _Minako giggled to herself as she watched the two.

"U-Ummm," Makoto asked as she eyed Rei and Haruka with puzzlement, "Is…Is this a bad time?"

"No, no. Come on in, Kino-san," Minako replied, taking command of the situation. She ran to the door and collected her rolling cases, "It'll be easier for me to work quickly having you all in one place." Makoto followed Minako into the room, wearing the same outfit as Rei and Mamoru.

Minako quickly set up her stations in front of the couch. She pulled out a comb and turned to Mamoru, "Mamoru-kun, you should head downstairs," Minako said to the supermodel as she tossed the comb to him, which he caught with ease, "We have less than 20 minutes."

"Mmn, got it. See you all down there," Mamoru said as he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"As much as I hate to break up this frat party," Minako giggled as she spoke to Rei and Haruka who were still passing the flask back and forth between each other, "I've got work to do. Kino-san, I'll do your hair and makeup first so you can go down and check on the kitchen before we start. Haru-chan, you'll be next and we'll go downstairs."

"Wait, what about me?," Rei asked with confusion as she took the flask from Haruka, screwed the cap back on, and returned it to her coat pocket.

"I taught you how to do your own makeup yesterday, didn't I?," Minako said teasingly, "Were you really _that_ distracted by me or are you just looking to score more one-on-one tutoring, teacher's pet?"

Haruka chuckled as Rei's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. Minako smiled as she felt the tension in the room begin to lift, "I'll get to you last, ok Rei-chan?"

"M-Mmn," Rei replied shyly. As Minako began working on Makoto, a proud smile graced Rei's lips as she watched Minako do what she did best.

* * *

**Author Note:** And so, they meet again. Leave it to Minako to take charge of a situation. Such a good leader ^_^**  
**

I'm sure most Sailor Moon fans know, but the word "**hotaru**" means "firefly" in hiragana. Fitting pet-name since Rei's such a pyro ^_^ Also, "**odango**" means "dumpling" in Japanese and is a nickname often associated with Usagi in Sailor Moon due to her unique hairstyle.

I read once that it's not really polite to address a young woman as "oba" (aunt) in that it implies that they're matronly or something. So even though Minako and Rei would technically be considered Hotaru's aunts since they're of her 'adopted parents' generation, I decided to have Hotaru address Minako as an older sister instead since they're only 13 years apart.

The same goes for Rei, but since Rei takes a little after Haruka and Hotaru calls her "papa", I figured Hotaru would anoint Rei with an honorific that aligned with her young ideas of gender. I hope that makes sense!

I've also noticed that this site doesn't allow me to put in full URLs so I can't adequately cite websites I used. So I've included how to search for it on your own if you wanted to.

Japanese name suffix. (n.d.). In _Sensei's Library_. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from ?JapaneseNameSuffix (type "sensei's library Japanese name suffix" into your search engine and it should be the first link)

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	12. Chapter 12

**Author Note:** Another information-dense chapter like Chapter 7 (well, at least the end is).

**Senshi** = [Japanese] "soldier", "warrior", "guardian", or "fighter". When referring to people, I use it more as "guardian". When referring to other things, it's more "warrior" or "fighter".

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Since Makoto would have to go back into the kitchen from time to time during the event, Minako decided it would be best to put her long, slightly wavy, brown hair up in a high ponytail to keep it out of the way as well as meet food-safety regulations. Fearing a hair ribbon could potentially get caught on something, Minako opted to use an elastic hair tie to hold most of Makoto's hair up and in place. Wanting to still be within the color-scheme of the wedding, she chose one with two, teal, spherical beads from her hair-styling supply.

Even though Makoto's hair had to be put up, it didn't mean she couldn't have _some_ flare, right? Minako allowed two strips of hair to flow freely down either side of Makoto's face and used a curling iron and a quick dusting of hair spray to keep them in place. Once she finished with Makoto's makeup, which she kept simple, she straightened and stepped back to examine her work,

"Ok, I think you're good, Kino-san," Minako said cheerfully with an approving nod. _I hope Ami-chan approves also!, _she giggled to herself.

"Great! Thanks, Aino-san!," Makoto replied as she got up from the couch and walked towards the full-length mirror to examine herself.

"You're up, Haru-chan," Minako called towards Haruka, who was at the bar, happily munching on some veggies.

"Oh, coming!," Haruka said as she quickly swallowed the carrot she was chewing on before she began laughing, "Haha! That's what _she_ said!"

Rei, who was standing next to Haruka, leaning against the bar and enjoying some fruit, rolled her eyes and shoved her best friend towards the couch with one hand, "Rude," she chided evenly.

"Oh, c'mon, Rei. You _know_ you were thinking it, too," Haruka said playfully over her shoulder as she went to the couch and sat down. Rei scoffed and returned to picking at the fruit platter.

"You're such a twelve-year-old boy, Haru-chan," Minako chided playfully as she shook her head and began quickly styling the race car driver's short, thick, blonde hair with a small amount of hair wax, "How does Michi-chan put up with you?"

"She can't resist my killer smile and charming wit," Haruka said with a smirk. She shrugged casually as she sighed dramatically, "No one can, really. It's a gift." She looked at Minako and wagged her eyebrows flirtatiously, "Want to put it to the test, Mina-chan?," she asked mischievously with a playful tone.

"Pass," Minako replied with playful disinterest as she began applying Haruka's makeup, "Both of us are too young to die and I wouldn't want to put poor Rei-chan in a position where she'd have to explain to little Hotaru-chan why her Michiru-mama had to go to jail for double murder."

She glanced up at Rei briefly, whose eyes were trained on the fruit platter as she push the pieces casually around with a fork, trying to pretend she wasn't intently listening in on their conversation. Minako blushed slightly before her gaze returned to Haruka as she continued with her makeup, "Plus, I'm already seeing someone with an amazing gift of her own," she said in a softer tone.

She glanced up at Rei again and saw a slight blush appear on the archer's pale cheeks. A small, bashful smile began pulling at the corner of her alluring lips. Minako smiled softly at the sight.

Haruka smirked knowingly as she watched Minako sneak glances over her shoulder at her best friend, "Good answer," she whispered approvingly, bringing Minako out of her musings.

Minako cleared her throat softly as she brought her attention back to Haruka, "Now, shut up and sit still so I can finish," she chided firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," Haruka chuckled obediently. Minako smiled to herself as she heard a smooth voice chuckle softly from the direction of the bar.

* * *

By the time Minako began working on Rei, she had only used up nine of the twenty minutes Setsuna had provided. She decided to let Rei's dark mane flow naturally down her back and so was able to immediately begin working on the archer's makeup. As she worked, she noticed Makoto was standing anxiously near the front doors, checking her watch every few moments. Haruka, on the other hand, was standing near the couch with her arms crossed and her head tilted as she watch with subtle interest as Minako worked on Rei.

"You guys don't have to wait for us, you know," Minako said, addressing Makoto and Hakura as she continued to work, "Especially you, Kino-san. I'm almost done so you two can go ahead. We should be right behind you."

"Sounds good!," Makoto said a little too eagerly with a hint of relief underlying her tone as she checked her watch yet again and turned towards the front doors, "Thanks again, Aino-san. I'll see you all soon!," she called over her shoulder as she opened the door quickly and walked out.

Haruka stayed where she was. A sly, knowing smirk pulled at her lips and she chuckled, "Maybe I should stay and chaperone the two of you?," she said teasingly as she eyed Minako, who was still focused on applying makeup to Rei's face, and Rei, who was sitting patiently on the couch, "I don't want to have to tell Setsuna and Michiru why we have to start the ceremony late if you two decide to get frisky now. They'd probably kill both of you and have my head for good measure."

"Mou, Haruka!," Rei said with irritation as a dark blush formed on her cheeks from embarrassment, "Shut the_ fuck_ up and _go_!"

"Mou, Haru-chan!," Minako said with annoyance as she straightened and began fanning Rei's face with her hand, "I won't be able to get Rei-chan's makeup right if you keep hanging around making her blush like this!"

"Haha! Sorry!," Haruka laughed.

"Anyways, I need you to go downstairs and tell Setsuna-chan that we'll be done on time so she doesn't get worried," Minako said as she turned to get a different palette from her makeup station, "We'll be down once I finish with Rei-chan and pack a few things to bring with me for Hotaru-chan." She paused for a moment, "That is, unless Rei-chan tries to get fresh with me," she said teasingly. She turned and winked playfully over her shoulder at the archer, "Try to restrain yourself, ok, Rei-chan? We're in a time crunch here."

"H-Hey!," Rei said with feigned annoyance as she began blushing more.

"I thought you said you couldn't work on her if she's blushing," Haruka said accusingly with a hint of playfulness.

"She's already blushing so I might as well take advantage of the moment and get some good teasing in, right?," Minako giggled in reply as she returned to her makeup station and continued rummaging through her collection.

"Damn opportunist," Rei mumbled under her breath as she turned away and let out an exasperated scoff.

Haruka chuckled at her best friend's expense, _She totally knows how to cut through Rei's defenses. __I would have never thought of it, but Mina-chan's absolutely perfect for Rei!  
_

"Ok, you crazy kids," Haruka continued to chuckle as she turned to the door. She opened it and walked out, "See you soon!"

* * *

"Alright, now for the eye shadow," Minako said as the door clicked shut behind Haruka, "Close your eyes."

Rei huffed but obeyed, expecting to feel a soft eye shadow sponge slide across her eyelids. Instead, Rei felt lips hungrily pressing against her own. Soft, familiar hands came up to cup Rei's face, tilting her head back slightly, urging her to deepen the kiss. The couch shifted beneath her as Rei felt the smaller woman climb on top of her, straddling her with her knees. Teeth gently raked Rei's lower lip desperately while a needy tongue begged for access. Rei's senses were filled with the hint of strawberries as an overwhelming orange-gold wave surge through her. Giving in to the sudden sensations, Rei parted her lips, allowing their tongues to explore each other's delicious taste. Rei brought one hand up to caress the back of Minako's neck, pulling her closer. Her other hand had found a place on Minako's hip and began massaging sensually.

When the passionate kiss ended, Minako rested her forehead on Rei's, panting for air. Rei, who was also breathless and panting heavily, slowly opened her rare, violet eyes to take in the image of the gorgeous blonde panting above her. Minako's eyes were still closed as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. Rei's eyes widened as she took in Minako's aura, which was flaring like an orange-gold flame around her lithe body. It was so intense, Rei half-expected...maybe even half-hoped?...for it to burn like a real fire.

As Rei watched, captivated by this new form Minako's aura took on, she felt a struggle within that beautiful aura. There was a fierce, fiery passion at its brink being combated by a restraint that was struggling desperately to keep it under control. As she analyzed it more, it slowly became clearer to Rei that _she_ was the reason behind the struggle. She was slightly taken aback by the knowledge of how strongly she affected the gorgeous blonde.

"Thank the _Gods_, I thought they would _never_ leave," Minako panted softly as she licked her lips, "I've been wanting to kiss you since I walked in the room."

Rei chuckled at Minako's words, "So, Aino-san," she said teasingly, allowing the hand she had on Minako's neck to fall and rest on her other hip, "Do you make it a habit of making out with your clients _while_ you're working?"

Minako smirked, "Only clients I find sexy as hell, Hino-san," she quipped. Minako slowly opened her dazzling, sapphire eyes and quickly became mesmerized by Rei's intense, amethyst eyes that stared back at her, "And you're the only client I have that fits the bill."

Rei watched as Minako's breathing gradually slowed as she regained composure over herself, her aura returning to its familiar, warm glow, "Plus," Minako continued, "It's not my fault your kisses are so addictive."

"So, tell me, Aino-san, _which_ _one_ of us has to exercise restraint?," Rei challenged teasingly as she smirked.

"Shut up, Rei-chan," Minako chided playfully. As Rei giggled in response, Minako brought her hands down to Rei's shoulders and pushed herself back so she was sitting up, "You sick of my aura yet?," she asked playfully.

"Never," Rei replied with a smile, "And, if you want to talk about addictive, your aura should come with a government warning label."

"Flirt," Minako said coyly, "But I'm glad you're still ok with me being this close to you because you're really comfortable and I don't want to get up just yet."

"Sounds good to me," Rei said. She leaned in slightly as a sly smile pulled at her lips, "Plus, I kind of _like_ having you on top," she said in a low, suggestive tone.

Minako froze and closed her eyes tightly, taking deep, slow breaths through her nose as she bit her lip. Rei saw Minako's aura flare briefly as she felt the muscles in Minako's thighs clench and her grip on her shoulders tightened slightly. As Minako's body relaxed again, her aura returned to its natural state and she slowly opened her piercing, cobalt eyes,

"For someone who's never been with anyone before, you're _such_ a fucking tease," Minako whispered as she looked at Rei through hooded eyes. She suddenly turned serious and cupped Rei's face gently, stroking the pale woman's cheeks with her thumbs.

Rei felt Minako's aura shift quickly to…Hesitation? Fear? She looked at Minako with confusion, "Minako, are you ok? You're scared. What are you afraid of?"

Minako sighed heavily, "The kiss was my fault, you're just so damn irresistible, Rei-chan," she said hesitantly, "I'm just...I'm really trying to take it slow and not rush you into anything. I want to make sure that...that when we do things, it's what you want too and not because I'm forcing you or because my aura's invading you. I don't want you to regret anything," She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath before she opened her eyes again and continued, "I'm…I'm really afraid of...of not being able to control myself around you. Everything you _are_...everything you _do_...makes me want to be near you and it...also make me...want you." She blushed slightly as she looked away, "So it's...it's hard enough already trying not to jump you every second I'm around you...without your innuendos."

Rei looked at Minako with a mix of sadness and concern as she now understood the struggle she saw in Minako's aura. She reached up and gently brushed a stray blonde hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry, Minako. I didn't mean to tease you like that," she said sincerely, "I can tell that you're trying to hold yourself back. I appreciate it but, please, don't ever stop being yourself just for my sake. I know how affectionate you are and that's one of the things I like about you. Remember, I agreed that if we do this I'd be honest and talk to you about how I'm feeling. But I need you to trust me. I'll be sure to let you know if I'm not ok with something." Though Rei could feel that Minako was still a little hesitant, she was glad at least that Minako began to relax a bit from her words,

"Ok," Minako sighed and nodded slowly, "I'll...I'll trust you." She smirked softly, "I guess it's the least I can do if you're willing to trust me being myself and risking a possible attack on you whenever I get the chance."

"That sounds pretty fair to me," Rei chuckled. She wrapped her arms around Minako, bringing her closer, "And, about my abilities, I already have Haruka and Michiru fussing over me all the time about it so I don't need you doing that, too. Plus, I've already gotten used to your aura so it won't affect me unless I let it." She lowered her voice to a seductive whisper, "And, trust me, Minako," she said as she brought her hand to the back of Minako's neck, urging her to lean closer, "I _really_ want it to affect me. Starting now."

Minako moaned in Rei's mouth as they started another passionate kiss. This time, Rei was the aggressor, capturing Minako's lower lip and gently sucking on it. Her tongue fought for dominance against Minako's as her hands desperately tried to bring Minako's body closer to her own.

Suddenly, Rei froze and her eyes shot wide open. Minako, noticing the sudden change in Rei's actions, broke the kiss and opened her eyes to look at the beautiful woman.

"Wh-What's wrong, Rei-chan?" Minako asked, panting. Rei stared blankly into the distance, her eyes glazed over.

"I'm really sorry, Minako, but you have to get off of me. Now. You have 15 seconds," Rei said flatly.

"W-Wait, what?," Minako asked, concern evident in her voice, "What happened? Did I...Did I do someth-"

"10 seconds," Rei interrupted, a slight hint of panic evident in her tone. She blinked a couple times and her eyes returned to their intense, amethyst color as they focused on the gorgeous blonde. Tightening her grip around Minako, she quickly stood up, bringing Minako with her so that they were both standing. Minako continued to look at her with stunned confusion as Rei brought her hands up to Minako's shoulders and carefully, but firmly, pushed her back so she was at arm's length away from her. Rei quickly took a couple steps away, increasing the distance between them as she turned to face the front doors.

A sharp pang of hurt shot through Minako's heart as Rei moved and turned away from her as if she were some social pariah.

_**Shick...Click Click!**_

Before Minako could ask Rei what was going on, her attention was drawn to the front doors as the sound of a key card being slid and the doors unlocking was heard. She watched as one of the doors slowly opened.

* * *

"Hi, Firefly," Rei greeted Hotaru with a warm smile as the child peeked her head into the room, "Did Haruka-papa send you up here to check on us?"

"Yep!," Hotaru responded cheerfully, "Haruka-papa said if I came up here and surprised you two, Setsuna-mama would give Mina-neechan a couple more minutes to do my makeup!"

"That _fucking_ asshole," Rei muttered under her breath as she half-turned to look at Minako with apologetic, violet eyes. She knew, somewhere downstairs, Haruka was probably laughing her head off at the idea of little Hotaru walking in on them making out or possibly even…Rei shook her head slightly, chasing the idea away.

Though Rei's comment was soft enough for Hotaru not to hear, Minako was able to pick it up and finally understood what Rei had done. She stepped forward and brought a hand up to Rei's back, rubbing it reassuringly, "Another example of how I should just trust you," Minako said warmly as she smiled at the beautiful, raven-haired woman in understanding.

Rei sighed with relief and smiled softly at Minako. She felt Minako's aura emitting understanding and she was glad that the painful confusion and hurt she felt earlier from being forced abruptly away was no longer evident.

Minako brought her attention to the young girl, "C'mon, Hotaru-chan, let's do your makeup right now and then we'll all go downstairs together."

"Yay!," Hotaru exclaimed as she ran into the room and jumped on the couch, waiting patiently while Minako turned to her station and began pull out some palettes to use on the young girl.

"Wait, what about me?" Rei asked with confusion.

"Mataku, Rei-chan, it's not always about you, you know?," Minako teased. She turned and handed Rei a slender tube from her collection, "And, besides, you're pretty much done. I finished with your makeup a few seconds before Haru-chan left the room, all except for the lip-gloss and I'm sure you can do that yourself."

Rei stared back with a puzzled look as she dumbly took the tube of lip-gloss. She then narrowed her eyes at Minako and smirked, "You little minx."

"I get what I want," Minako said coyly as she stuck her tongue out at Rei. Rei shook her head with amused astonishment and sat down next to Hotaru on the couch as Minako knelt down and began working on Hotaru's makeup.

* * *

"You know," Minako said to Rei while working on Hotaru, "I knew…I _knew_ I've seen you before when we met at Kirei. It's that darn smirk of yours!"

Rei laughed nervously as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck, "S-Sorry, I was afraid you'd freak out and become a fangirl if I told you who I was." She looked down at the floor and blushed, "I...I really liked you, so I...I didn't want you to like me _just_ because I'm the Flame Sniper."

Her lavender eyes quickly went to Minako, "But I hope you know I wasn't _trying_ to lie to you or anything," she rushed to say, "When we were at my place and talked about family and growing up, everything I told you was true, I just…omitted some things."

"Like how your father owns the biggest sports supply chain in Japan and your childhood friends are an international race car champion and a world-renowned prodigy violinist and painter?," Minako teased as she raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Rei, who's blush darkened significantly,

"Well, I guess you weren't the only one keeping secrets," Minako admitted as she looked back towards Hotaru and continued working. She blushed slightly, "I really liked you, too, and I...I got a little nervous when you started asking about Usa-neechan. I didn't want you to like me _just_ because my twin sister's a famous supermodel."

"I really like both of you!," Hotaru said cheerfully.

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei chuckled as she reached out and patting Hotaru on the head briefly.

"Thank you, Hotaru-chan," Minako said warmly as she smiled at the young girl, "That's a very nice thing to say." She got up from where she was kneeling and went back to her station to pick out other products to use, "It makes a lot of sense now why you said you understand better than anyone the value of privacy," Minako said sincerely, addressing Rei, "I can't tell you how much it bothers me when Usa-neechan gets hoarded by fans or papparazi. I'm always so afraid she's going to get hurt." She shrugged and sighed as she turned back around, knelt down in front of Hotaru, and continued working, "But she _loves_ it."

"So, I'm still unclear about something," Rei said in a puzzled tone, "Why do you and Odango have different last names? Is 'Tsukino' like a stage name or something?"

"Kind of," Minako explained, "She didn't want people to know her real name when she got into the business. Her last name is still 'Aino' officially, but 'Tsukino' is our mother's maiden name. Because of our blonde hair and blue eyes, her agency thought it would make her more marketable and exotic if she had a more Japanese-sounding last name with a foreigner's look."

"I guess that makes sense," Rei nodded. She smirked as she shook her head, "I still can't believe we've never met before even though we know pretty much the same people."

"Haru-chan and Michi-chan are always talking about their 'little sister' and how she was an athlete of sorts, but they were always pretty quiet when it came to specifics," Minako replied. She smirked, "They never mentioned that she was _the_ archer of Japan."

Rei chuckled, "Yeah, Haruka and Michiru always had pretty good stories when it came to hanging out with Odango and her little sister." She smiled shyly as she looked away, "They never _once_ mentioned how _attractive_ Odango's sister was," she said softly, almost to herself.

"You mean they never mentioned I was a 'sexy, blonde bombshell'?," Minako smirked. She looked up at Rei who was doing a _really_ good imitation of a tomato.

"S-Sorry!…A-About that-," Rei stuttered.

"It's ok, Rei-chan, I'm flattered by it," Minako giggled as she returned her focus to Hotaru. She mercifully changed the subject, "So, since we're sharing _everything_ now, I remember you mentioned that your grandfather and your best friend's partner are the only two who really understand your abilities. I'm guessing that's Michi-chan?"

"Michiru-mama can see colors like Rei-niichan!," Hotaru chimed in.

"Really!?," Minako said as she pulled away slightly in surprise.

"Hotaru," Rei said with a slight warning tone as she turned to her 'adopted niece', "Remember what we talked about when it comes to my and Michiru-mama's secret?"

"Oops," Hotaru said sheepishly. She knew when Rei used her given name, she was in trouble. She turned to Rei apologetically, "Sorry, Rei-niichan."

Rei sighed and half-smiled as she rested her hand on Hotaru's shoulder, "That's ok, Firefly. Just be careful next time." Her gaze shifted towards Minako, "Luckily, Mina-neechan's a senshi so it's ok to talk about it with her."

"'Senshi'?," Minako asked with confusion.

"When Firefly was younger, I used to read these children's books to her about a group of girls that called themselves 'senshis' who had superpowers and guarded the Earth from evil," Rei explained, "Since then, Michiru and I have used it as a code-word to refer to someone we consider safe with our secret."

"Like Haruka-papa and Setsuna-mama!," Hotaru exclaimed.

"Yeah, _just_ like Haruka-papa and Setsuna-mama," Rei chuckled as she looked to her 'adopted niece' and patted her on the head. When she turned back to look at Minako, she saw her orange-gold aura swaying with wonder, her cobalt eyes appeared to be swimming with questions, "It's ok, Minako, you can ask about Michiru. I can tell you want to."

"W-Well," Minako said hesitantly, "I-I thought you said your gift was special to your family. So...is Michi-chan related to you? No, wait, you said her mom was a high school friend of your mom's, right?"

"Yes, no, and yes," Rei replied with a smirk, "Yes, my abilities _are_ unique to my family. No, Michiru isn't related to me and, yes, her mom was a high school friend of Mama's. Michiru's a...special case. Her story is actually pretty amazing. Mama saved Michiru's life."

"Whoa, what!?" Minako said with shock and disbelief, "What do you mean!?"

"Well, from what Grandpa told me, Michiru's mother had complications while she was pregnant with Michiru," Rei explained. Her violet gaze went to the ceiling as she thought, "I don't remember exactly what the circumstances were, but she ended up bleeding internally and needed a blood transfusion. She not only almost lost Michiru but she almost died herself. Luckily, Mama was a blood match and was able to saved them both."

Rei's gaze returned to Minako, who was intently taking in the information Rei was providing, "While Michiru was growing up, she started telling her mother how she saw people's colors. Her mother told Mama about it because she had a sense it had something to do with the transfusion. It was then Grandpa and Mama realized that my family's abilities were carried specifically in our DNA. So, when Michiru's mom had the transfusion with Mama's blood, Mama unknowingly passed a little of our family abilities to Michiru."

"Wow...," Minako breathed with awe, "That's..._so_ crazy! It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie or an anime."

"I know, right?" Rei replied, "The difference between Michiru and me is that she can _only_ see people's colors. They basically look like a halo around people's bodies and are pretty static so she can't read them like I can. To me, people's colors are really dynamic and react as people feel different emotions. Like, for example, yours looks like a raging fire when you-," She stopped herself, remembered Hotaru was still in the room, "-get excited," she coughed. Minako blushed, catching the implication.

"Anyway," Rei continued quickly, "She also can't tap into them like I can to read thoughts. But, she _does_ have an unusually heightened intuition. Since her mom has pretty good intuition for a regular person, Michiru thinks Mama's blood just enhanced that ability in her."

_So that's why Michi-chan's intuition is so insanely accurate!_, Minako smirked to herself as she remembered having to lock herself in the bathroom earlier because of it.

"Another thing is Michiru's hair," Rei continued, "Everyone thought it was weird she was born with teal-colored hair since no one in her family has that color. Michiru thinks it has something to do with her mom being blonde and my mom being a blunette. She's been working with this scientist-friend of hers for a while now trying to find out more about my family's abilities." Rei snapped her fingers as a thought came to her and she spoke aloud to herself, "Which reminds me, I need to ask Michiru about what she's found so far."

"'Scientist-friend'?," Minako said mostly to herself as she went back to finishing Hotaru's makeup, "That must be Ami-chan."

"'Ami-chan'?" Rei asked.

"Michiru-mama said Ami-neechan's a senshi too!," Hotaru said excitedly to Rei.

"Great!," Rei replied to Hotaru. She then looked to Minako, "So...who is she, exactly?," she asked curiously.

"Her name's Mizuno Ami," Minako explained, "She's a high school friend of mine and Usa-neechan's. She's a doctor in residency in the States, but she's also a really prominent researcher on genetics and DNA. When Usa-neechan and Michi-chan became friends in college, she introduced me and Ami-chan to her at the same time and we all became friends. She's actually one of Michi-chan's bridesmaids."

"Really!? That's perfect!," Rei said excitedly. She suddenly paused and looked at the clock, "Speaking of which, I think we're going to be late."

"No, we're not!," Minako said triumphantly as she stood up, "_Just_ finished!"

"Thanks, Mina-neechan!" Hotaru sang cheerfully.

"You're welcome, Hotaru-chan," Minako replied. She turned and quickly packed up her stations.

Once she was done, she turned back around, "Now, let's get going before Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama kill us!"

* * *

**Author Note:** This chapter started out kind of short. As I editing, I began adding more and more things so now it's a little longer than it originally was. Yay! ^_^

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author Note:** It was really hard describing this scene the way I saw it in my head due to all the jumping around. I hope it makes sense and the breaks aren't distracting! =T

This is the biggest and most dense chapter yet. There was just no good way to break it up without having an abrupt and awkward end before another chapter so I just decided to give you the whole scene...all at once! ^_^

**Kyudo-gi** = [Japanese] 'Kyudo' is the Japanese martial art of archery. '-gi' is a suffix and shortened word for "keikogi" which refers to the respective training uniform used in a martial arts discipline.

**Yumi** = [Japanese] refers to a bow used in Kyudo

**Sha** = [Japanese] "shoot"

**-obasan** = [Japanese] 'oba' means "aunt" and I used it with the honorific 'san' after it

**Okaasan** = [Japanese] "mother"

I don't own Sailor Moon, any songs, or brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Lawrence, J. and Trenet, C. (1959). _Beyond the Sea_ [Recorded by Bobby Darin]. On That's All [record], New York, New York: ATCO Records.

The Expedition Hunter arrow model belongs to Gold Tip, LLC (cited September, 2013). The brand and product is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Haruka and Michiru had a little less than 100 attendees at their wedding. Once the ceremony ended, everyone shuffled out of the room where the ceremony was held into a neighboring, elegant banquet hall for the dinner reception and entertainment portion of the night. As the guests entered the hall, an upbeat, jazzy song played softly in the background,

_**- Somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere waiting for me, my lover stands on golden sand and watches the ships that go sailing. Somewhere beyond the sea, she's there watching for me. If I could fly like birds on high then straight to her arms, I'd go sailing. -**_

The banquet hall had a 12' by 16', wooden dance floor that was set up close to the far wall. To the left of the dance floor was an elevated, professional disc jockey booth equipped with two laptops and DJ controllers where Setsuna was busily queuing up the rest of the dinner playlist. At the far corners of the dance floor, closest to the wall, were two sets of professional speakers from which the soft music played.

Ten round tables, each easily fitting ten guests, were situated into two, staggered rows around the dance floor and were covered with impeccable, cream-colored tablecloths that matched the satin chair covers. Encircling the backrest of each chair was a royal-blue, silk chair sash tied in a neat bow with the tails flowing down nearly to the floor. Formal place settings and glassware were set in front of each chair and surrounded a bubble ball vase placed upon a square, aluminum glass mirror that acted as a centerpiece. Each vase had a lit, votive candle, housed in a glass holder, sitting in the center surrounded by sand that filled the vase one-third of the way. Surrounding the candle and holder inside the vase, on top of the sand, was a variety of tiny seashells, starfish, and teal and blue glass beads, alluding to a beach theme.

Lining the left and right walls of the room were alternating teal and light-blue up lights that bathed the room in their soft blend of color and gave a trendy, modern-look to the space. The chandeliers and recessed lights in the ceiling were dimmed just enough to give off soft, golden light that complemented the glow of the up lights against the walls. Along the back wall of the room, behind the tables on the opposite side of the room from the dance floor, were thin, telescoping light stands, one of which held pin spot lights that shined a soft glow of gold light directly in the center of each table, highlighting the centerpieces, while the other held gobo lights that shined seashell and wave patterns along the walls, underscoring the theme of the wedding.

The wedding party was seated together at the most prominent table situated near the front, right-corner of the dance floor. Haruka and Michiru seated themselves closest to the dance floor, allowing for them to excuse themselves with ease to attend to pleasantries with other guests or other duties and traditions expected of a newly wedded couple at such an event. Michiru sat to Haruka's left, followed by Usagi, Mamoru, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Rei, and Hotaru who sat to Haruka's right.

Once all the guests had settled into their seats, Makoto organized her staff as they served a mouth-watering, seven-course dinner, which was immediately followed by the wedded couples' cake-cutting, dessert, and after-dinner coffee and tea.

* * *

"That was _such_ a beautiful wedding!," Usagi sobbed as she turned to Mamoru's shoulder for the umpteenth time that night. Mamoru brought an arm up around his girlfriend's shoulders, silently trying to calm her down.

"Yes, it was," Ami agreed with a nod. She turned and looked sheepishly at Makoto and blushed slightly, "A-And the food was q-quite delicious, K-Kino-san," she stuttered bashfully.

"T-Thanks, Mizuno-san," Makoto replied as she blushed deeply and brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck bashfully.

Minako giggled to herself. Both Ami and Makoto had been acting like this with each other ever since they met in Michiru's room, _Looks like Ami-chan finally found something more interesting than those research journals!_

Setsuna walked over to the table and gently touched Haruka's and Michiru's shoulders, getting their attention, "We're ready for the entertainment portion whenever you are."

"Great!," Haruka replied. She looked to Michiru and held an inviting hand up to her, "Shall we, love?"

Michiru smiled as she gracefully placed her hand in Haruka's, who brought it up to her lips and kissed it gently, "Ara, it's not every day Haruka's such a gentleman," Michiru blushed as they both stood up and followed Setsuna.

Minako smirked and leaned towards Rei, "So _that's_ who you got that slick move from when you left Kirei," she whispered teasingly.

Rei smirked, "She taught me everything I know," she whispered matter-of-factly with a casual shrug.

"Not _everything_," Minako whispered slyly, "If I remember correctly, I believe you said _I_ was the one who taught you how to kiss last night."

Rei chuckled softly, "Touché, Minako," she whispered playfully in reply.

"I'm _so_ glad you're a fast learner, Rei-chan," Minako giggled. As they both turned their attention to the dance floor, the house lights faded up, illuminating the room. A concert, grand piano and piano bench were rolled in with a violin case sitting on top of the lid of the piano.

* * *

Setsuna stepped to the middle of the dance floor with a microphone as Haruka sat herself in front of the piano and Michiru busied herself with unpacking the violin,

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate this day of love between Tenoh Haruka and Kaiou Michiru," Setsuna announced into the microphone, getting the guests' attention, "The couple, in particular, would like to thank the Elegancia and its staff for their wonderful hospitality, especially Kino Makoto, their dear friend and the Executive Chef, for preparing a spectacular menu for all of us."

Makoto blushed and looked down at the table as the crowd applauded in approval. Minako smiled slyly as she caught Ami sneaking a timid, admiring glance at Makoto.

"They'd also like to thank their wedding party and close friends at Table 1 for their support and love, especially Aino Minako who graciously provided her skills and talents to making everyone look glamorous and beautiful today," Setsuna continued.

It was Minako's turn to blush and look down at the table as the crowd applauded. Rei turned towards the gorgeous blonde and, seeing the bashful embarrassment exuding from her aura, gently placed her hand on Minako's to comfort her. Minako looked up towards Rei, who was smiling warmly at her, and she smiled shyly in return.

"In lieu of a first dance, the couple instead wanted to show their appreciation to everyone by performing an original piece that they wrote together. So, without further ado, I present to you the happy couple," Setsuna gestured towards Haruka and Michiru behind her as she exited the dance floor. The guests applauded politely as Haruka nodded and Michiru bow towards the guests. Haruka rested her hands lightly on the keys of the piano as Michiru placed her violin snugly between her chin and her shoulder. Michiru nodded to Haruka and they began playing a beautiful, classical duet together. Anyone who knew the two women would have been able to hear each of them within the song as the aggressive and flirtatious piano notes danced perfectly with the elegant and regal notes of the violin.

* * *

After a few minutes, Setsuna quietly came around to the table and touched Rei lightly on the shoulder, "The song's about to end, Rei-kun. Are you ready?"

"Mmn," Rei replied softly with a nod as she stood up. Before she could follow Setsuna, Minako quickly grabbed her hand, gently halting her. When Rei turned back to look at Minako, she saw a questioning look within her piercing sapphires. Rei smiled softly as she felt small waves of orange-gold concern and nervousness flowing through her hand,

"Don't worry, Minako," Rei said softly with reassurance as she gently squeezed Minako's hand, "I have to go do something, but I'll be back." Keeping her eyes on Minako, she lifted Minako's hand to her lips and kiss it softly. With a wink, she let Minako's hand go and turned to follow Setsuna. She only took a step before she paused and turned back around to look at the gorgeous makeup artist.

"Minako, do you mind if I borrow your hair ribbon?," Rei asked quietly, "It'd really mean a lot to me if I could use it for a bit."

Though Minako looked at Rei with a puzzled expression due to the odd request, she reached up and pull the teal ribbon from her hair. Rei watched intently as Minako's silky, gold locks fell free from the material, cascading down past her shoulders. Minako folded the ribbon up quickly and held it up to Rei, who smiled appreciatively as she took it,

"Thanks," Rei whispered, "I promise I'll be back soon and I'll bring this back with me."

Minako continued to watch Rei quizzically as the beautiful archer turned and followed Setsuna out one of the side doors.

* * *

"Hey, Mina-chan!," Usagi hissed excitedly to Minako from across the table. Minako jumped a little at the sound, abruptly bringing her out of her thoughts. She hadn't noticed that Usagi had recovered from her crying fit, "What was _that_ all about between you and Hino-san!?"

"U-Ummm…," Minako stammered, "W-Well...you know that woman I told you about that I met last night?"

"Yeah?," Usagi nodded in reply. Suddenly her eyes widened in understanding. Minako began to blush.

"Oh my Gods, Mina-chan!," Usagi chided in a stage whisper, "Shame on you! You're two-timing the girl you met last night with Hino-san!?"

Minako groaned as she facepalmed, _Mataku! See, Haru-chan!? I'm so not as bad as Usa-neechan!_.

"U-Usagi-chan," Ami said timidly in a soft tone, "I think what Mina-chan's trying to say is Hino-san _is_ the woman she met last night."

Usagi looked at Ami with brief confusion before the information sank in and her eyes widened again. As she was about to scream and squeal from excitement, Mamoru's fast reflexes reacted and he wrapped his arm around her head, firmly covered her mouth with his hand. Usagi's muffled voice could still be heard quite audibly from behind Mamoru's hand by those at the table, but it was mostly drowned out by the applause coming from the rest of the guests as Haruka and Michiru ended their performance. Ami and Makoto tried to help Mamoru shush and calm Usagi down as Minako blushed and looked at her sister sheepishly.

"Ara, did I miss something exciting?," Michiru asked as she approached the table and took her seat next to Usagi. Mamoru, sensing Usagi had finished with her squealing, finally released his girlfriend's head.

"Michi-chan!," Usagi whispered loudly to her best friend as she bounced excitedly in her chair, "_Hino-san_ is the woman Mina-chan met last night! Can you believe it!?"

"I thought as much," Michiru giggled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "The way they've been interacting all night has been quite telling." She turned to look at Minako and winked, "Especially Rei. She seems quite taken by you, Mina-chan."

"S-Speaking of which," Minako said, quickly changing the subject, "Where _did_ Rei-chan go?"

A proud smile graced Michiru's alluring lips, "Rei's going to be doing something very special for me and Haruka. Haruka's been upset about it all day, but it's only because she doesn't understand. We're all in for a rare treat." She turned to Hotaru and leaned over so she was at eye-level with the young girl, "Hotaru, be sure to give Rei-niichan a _big_ hug when she comes back to the table, ok?"

"Ok!," Hotaru said cheerfully. Growing up with Michiru as a mother-figure, Hotaru was raised with the knowledge of how helpful her aura and presence was to people like her 'adopted mother' and 'adopted uncle' who had special abilities.

* * *

The piano, bench, and violin were wheeled away as Setsuna returned to the dance floor with microphone in hand, followed by Rei, who was dressed in traditional miko garb with her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Setsuna announced into the microphone, "Allow me to introduce the best woman of the groom. Some of you may know her as the Flame Sniper, but, to the couple, she's known simply as Hino Rei. Today, as a gift to them, she will be performing a traditional, zen archery technique that demonstrates the highest honor an archer can show to someone. The technique is rarely performed due to the dangers involved and can only be successfully done by a true master in the art of archery. Because of this, we ask for complete silence while Hino-san performs this technique. Hino-san will also be adding her own unique touch to this tradition, which can only be performed by masters of the spiritual being."

* * *

"Wait, '_dangerous_'!?," Minako hissed towards Michiru, "What _exactly_ is she going to do!?"

"You'll see," Michiru smiled calmly towards Minako as she nodded reassuringly, "Have faith in her, Mina-chan. Before she went to change, she told me that she promised you she'd be back." She turned to look towards the raven-haired woman, "And our Rei _never_ breaks a promise." Though Michiru's words were soft, they echoed with a confidence that could only be equated to someone speaking on a topic that was, without a doubt, one-hundred percent fact.

Minako nervously brought her azure gaze to Rei, who was standing in the center of the dance floor. Though she appeared stoic in an almost trance-like state, there was an odd, comforting sense of calm and control about her.

* * *

Haruka walked onto the dance floor from the side, wearing a blue and black Kyudo-gi. In one hand, she held a yumi while, in the other, she held a pure-white, Gold Tip Expedition Hunter arrow. The sleek, modern arrow seemed sorely out of place in contrast to the traditional clothing Rei and Haruka were wearing.

Haruka stepped in front of Rei and looked at her with intense seriousness, "Remember," she hissed quietly, "If this arrow touches you, even _just_ a little bit, you better fucking _pray_ it kills you. Because, if it doesn't, _I_ will!"

"It won't, Haruka," Rei responded softly with calm confidence, "I promised Minako I'd come back to her."

Haruka was taken aback by Rei's words. She knew what it meant for Rei to make a promise to someone...to _anyone _really, "Rei, you…you _just_ met her. Does she...does she _really_ mean _that_ much to you?"

"Yes," Rei responded without hesitation, looking directly into her best friend's eyes, "Maybe even more."

"Rei...," Haruka hesitated, "Is...Is Mina-chan…the _one_? Is she the one you've seen in your vision?," Other than Rei's grandfather, Haruka and Michiru were the only ones in the world who knew this deep secret.

Rei closed her eyes and sighed disappointedly, "I thought so at first, but the vision didn't come to fruition. But it...it _almost_ did. Everything happened up to the point our hands met. But I didn't feel anything other than her aura."

"I see," Haruka replied solemnly as her shoulders slumped slightly, "I'm...I'm sorry, Rei."

"But I _know_ there's something there," Rei said firmly as she opened her amethyst eyes and looked intensely at her best friend with determination, "I don't know what it is, but I...I can _feel_ it, Haruka. Just because the vision _didn't_ come to pass doesn't mean she's _not_ the one."

Haruka opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it and let out a sigh. Knowing how stubborn Rei was, Haruka knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with her by arguing or trying to reason with her. Especially _now_, when Rei needed _all_ of her focus and energy. She looked at Rei with concern, "Just…be careful, Rei. I don't want to see you get hurt," Haruka said in a gentle tone.

"Thanks, Haruka," Rei said sincerely with a nod, understanding the depth of her simple statement, "Alright, so remember, focus on the arrow and not until I give the signal, ok?"

"Got it," Haruka said with a nod. She turned so she was standing side-by-side with Rei, facing the guests.

"I present to you Tenoh Haruka and Hino Rei," Setsuna said as she gestured towards Haruka and Rei behind her as she exited again. The two women bowed in unison while the guests applauded softly in anticipation.

* * *

As Rei and Haruka turned to face each other, Rei reached into her robes and pulled out a standard-sized ofuda. Holding it between her index and middle finger in front of her, she closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly as she began whispering inaudibly over it.

When she finished, she opened her eyes and nodded to Haruka. Haruka slung the yumi over her shoulder as she held the arrow up horizontally with both hands, presenting it to Rei, who tied the ofuda securely below the tip of the arrow. After completing the task, Rei stepped back and bowed low to Haruka, who did the same. Haruka walked to the front, left-corner of the large dance floor while Rei walked towards the front, right-corner to Michiru, who stood to meet Rei.

Once Rei met Michiru, she pulled out another ofuda from her robes and briefly whispered chants over the sheet of paper between her fingers. When she finished, she opened her eyes and looked up at Michiru, "Ready?"

"Mmn," Michiru replied, holding her hands together with her palms up. Once Rei laid the sheet across Michiru's palms, the violinist closed her eyes and focused on the sheet of paper. To everyone in the room, it appeared as if Michiru was simply holding an ofuda in her hands. To Michiru and Rei, the paper was slowing being infused with a bit of Michiru's aura as a teal light began soaking into the paper. Once the paper began glowing in a bright teal color, Rei gently placed her hand over Michiru's, signaling that she had done enough. Michiru slowly opened her eyes and smiled at her childhood friend.

"That was perfect, Michiru," Rei said softly as she smiled towards the taller woman she considered her sister. After taking the ofuda from Michiru's hands, she knelt down towards Hotaru, "Firefly, give Michiru-mama a big hug. She did a really good job."

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied cheerfully. As Michiru sat back down in her chair, Hotaru slipped out of her chair and went over to climb into her 'adopted mother's lap. As Michiru wrapped her arms around the small child, she immediately began to feel re-energized from her presence.

Sensing a strong, orange-gold essence of fear and concern nearby, Rei glanced over towards Minako, who was staring nervously at her. Rei smiled warmly and winked at her before she turned and walked towards the back-right corner of dance floor, closest to the wall, and diagonally across from Haruka.

Once there, Rei faced Haruka and reached into her robe to pull out the teal ribbon Minako let her borrow. Holding the ofuda lightly between her lips for a moment, she used both hands to bring the ribbon up over her eyes and tie it around her head, blindfolding herself. She smiled and felt herself relax immediately as she breathed in a comforting, strawberry scent. When she had secured the ribbon over her eyes, she pulled the ofuda from her lips and held it between her index and middle finger close to her chest. She nodded firmly as a signal to Haruka to let her know she was ready.

Haruka, seeing Rei nod, took the arrow and loaded it onto the yumi. Taking a deep breath, she brought them up to her chest and pulled the string back, pointing the arrow right at Rei. She closed her eyes and focused on the arrow.

* * *

_Oh my Gods, are you fucking serious!?,_ Minako thought as she watched in horror as Haruka aimed the arrow straight at Rei. Like all the other guests in the room, she didn't _dare_ make a sound for fear of causing a very serious calamity, namely Rei's death.

* * *

To everyone, it appeared as if Haruka had loaded an arrow and was steadily aiming it at Rei. To Michiru, and in Rei's mind, the arrow was slowing being infused with a royal-blue light that was Haruka's aura.

However, Rei could see Haruka's aura wavering with uncertainty. She began to sense that Haruka was having trouble with the infusion due to how nervous the race car driver was of hurting her best friend, _Damn it, Haruka! If you don't do this right I'm seriously going to get hurt!, _Rei cursed to herself,_ I made a promise…Fuck, I'll have to exert more energy than I thought. _She forced her energies across the dance floor, tapping into Haruka's aura.

* * *

Beads of perspiration began forming on Haruka's brow. She knew she was struggling to focus on the arrow properly, _Fuck, if I don't do this right, Rei's seriously going to get hurt._

_Fuck yeah, I will, asshole!, _Haruka heard Rei's voice loud and clear in her mind. Haruka's eyes immediately shot open. Though she was startled by the sudden sound of her best friend's voice, she had enough awareness to not falter in her pose.

_R-Rei!?, _Haruka thought with shock,_What...What the fuck!?_ Since when could you do this!?

_Since forever!,_ Rei's voice replied,_ Now, I need you to shut the fuck up and listen to me! Close your eyes and focus!  
_

Haruka quickly obeyed. In a more level tone, Rei's voice spoke slowly and calmly in Haruka's mind, _Breathe, Haruka. Think of the arrow as an extension of your arm. You've done this before. I know__ you can do this. Keep breathing. N_ice and slow. In and out.

Haruka did as she was told. She began to feel herself relax into her stance and she no longer felt fear or hesitation. Across the dance floor, Rei smiled as she felt Haruka's aura calm down, the arrow becoming more and more one with Haruka's aura.

_Thanks, Rei,_ Haruka thought in a more collected tone, _I really needed that._

_I know, _Rei's voice said softly, _Haruka, you've been my big sister and best friend for as long as I can remember__ and you've never let me down_. ___I _ know you won't hurt me___. I __trust you._

_Rei…, _Haruka thought as she began feeling the sting of tears coming to her eyes, _I'm so proud to call you my best friend and little sister. I'll always be there for you, no matter what. I __love you._

A tear slipped out from the bottom of the blindfold and ran down Rei's cheek, _I love you, too, Haruka, _her voice whispered sincerely in Haruka's mind. She sniffed back the rest of her tears and brought her focus back to the task at hand, _Ok, Haruka, looks like the arrow's fully infused. Ready to do this?_

___Ready whenever you are,_ Haruka thought.

_Alright, here goes, _Rei voice said.

* * *

"Sha!," Rei called out loudly, startling everyone in the room except Haruka and Michiru. Haruka opened her eyes and released the arrow, allowing it to fly towards Rei.

Rei could sense the glowing, royal-blue projectile traveling slowly towards her. She smirked confidently as she twisted her body and threw the ofuda with her right hand towards the arrow. As it left her hand, it burst into a large, teal fireball as it headed towards the arrow.

When the ofuda below the tip of the arrow came in contact with the teal fireball, it burst into a royal-blue fireball of its own. As the arrow passed through the combined fireballs, the shaft of the arrow began changing colors. Instead of pure-white, the metallic shaft became a blend of swirling royal blue and teal colors. As quickly as they appeared, both fireballs disappeared in a puff of white smoke once the arrow fully journeyed through them and continued on its path...straight towards Rei's heart.

In one swift, fluid motion, Rei's left hand shot up and snatched the arrow, halting it dead in its tracks inches from her miko robes.

To Rei, the whole event appeared to have happened in slow motion and take place over a series of minutes. To onlookers, the event took only seconds and was, undoubtedly, both shocking and horrifying to watch.

* * *

Minako found herself panting heavily with dread. She didn't realize that she had jumped out of her seat in panic once she saw the arrow flying towards the beautiful, raven-haired woman. It took her and the other guests a few moments to realize that Rei was fine and that the arrow was no longer its pure-white color.

* * *

Rei pulled the ribbon down, removing it from her eyes, and allowed it to rest on her shoulders at the base of her neck. She and Haruka began walking toward each other and met in the center of the dance floor.

Michiru gently lifted Hotaru off her lap and set her on the ground. She quickly stood up and met the two women in the middle of the dance floor as well.

Once Michiru arrived, she stood side-by-side with Haruka, facing Rei as the archer bowed low and held the arrow up horizontally to the couple with both hands, presenting it to them. Haruka and Michiru bowed towards Rei as well and lifted the arrow from Rei's open hands, receiving the gift together. The guests applauded loudly from the show they just witnessed.

* * *

When all three women had straightened, Michiru carefully handed the arrow off to Haruka. Turning to Rei, she smiled warmly as she stepped forward and placed a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder, squeezing it gently, "Thank you so much, Rei," she said sweetly with sincerity.

Rei smiled and quickly stepped forward, pulling Michiru into a tight hug in reply. Michiru was surprised at first and quickly became worried about Rei's well-being due to her close proximity. After a second, she realized Rei was still standing and seemed fine being so close to her. Allowing herself to relax, Michiru brought her arms up and returned Rei's hug just as tightly.

When the hug ended, Rei looked towards Haruka who smiled and gave her a thumbs-up, "You did good, Rei."

Rei smirked and quickly grabbed Haruka by the wrist, pulling her into a tight hug. Haruka tried to resist at first for Rei's sake, fearing that Rei wouldn't have the energy to handle having _two_ people so close to her after her stunt. Instead, to her surprise, she found Rei's grip to be strong and unrelenting. Haruka smiled proudly as she handed off the arrow to Michiru and wrapped her arms around the miko's waist, picking her up in a tight hug of her own.

Once Haruka returned Rei to the ground, Michiru walked back to the table with the arrow as the two best friends walked off the dance floor and out one of the side doors to change out of their garbs.

* * *

"Oh my Gods, I think I lost a few years of my life watching that!," Usagi said dramatically as she fell back in her chair, fanning her face with her hand.

"Yes, it was really quite intense," Ami agreed with a firm nod.

"Ara," Michiru said as she arrived at the table, "If you all feel that way, think about how Mina-chan feels right now."

She looked towards the blonde woman who was still standing and appeared frozen from shock. Her normally creamy skin had become almost as pale as Rei's and she was still panting, but not as heavily as before.

"I was afraid this would happen," Michiru said softly with concern to no one in particular. Not breaking her kind gaze from Minako's wide, sapphire eyes, Michiru placed the arrow down on the table and smiled softly as she slowly approached the smaller woman and gently enveloped her in a comforting hug. She could feel Minako's slender frame begin to shake.

"Mina-chan, it's Michi-chan," she whispered sweetly into Minako's ear, "I need you to breathe with me, ok?" Michiru began taking slow, deep breaths and letting them out equally as slow in a steady rhythm. After the first two, she began to feel Minako mimicking her actions,

"You're doing well, Mina-chan," Michiru said softly, "Just a few more, ok?" After a couple more breaths, Michiru began to feel Minako's small frame stop shaking as her body slowly relaxed. She smiled as she felt Minako's arms carefully wrap around her.

"Thanks, Michi-chan," Minako whispered, "I'm...I'm ok, now. Is...Is Rei-chan-"

"Rei's ok, Mina-chan," Michiru replied reassuringly, "She just went to go change. She's coming back to you. Like I said, she _never_ breaks a promise." Michiru hugged Minako tighter, "I actually have to thank you, Mina-chan. That was…the first time Haruka and I have ever hugged Rei."

Minako was taken aback by Michiru's words, "R-Really?"

"Mmn," Michiru replied with a nod, "And I have a strong feeling that it has a lot to do with you. Thank you, Mina-chan. Please take care of her."

A loud cough came from behind Michiru and both women ended the hug to turn towards the sound.

"Sorry, Michiru, but do you mind? I'd like a chance at my date also," Rei smirked. She was back to wearing her groomsman outfit and her hair was down as she usually wore it, allowing the silky, black threads to cascade down her back.

"Of course, Rei," Michiru giggled sweetly as she stepped away from Minako and went back to her seat.

"Rei-chan...," Minako whispered as her cobalt eyes locked onto Rei's intense amethyst eyes.

"Hello, Minako," Rei said warmly. She held out the teal ribbon towards the gorgeous blonde, "As promised. Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"Rei-chan!," Minako cried as she threw herself at Rei, who caught her in a warm embrace. Rei gently stroked the blonde's soft hair, _Do I really affect her this much?, _the archer thought to herself curiously, _Do I really mean this much to her?_

"Shhh, it's ok, Minako. I'm here," Rei cooed as Minako began to weep softly within her arms. She could see Minako's orange-gold aura quivering as she felt the overwhelming shock and relief from the near sense of loss being emitted from the smaller woman_. _She kissed the side of Minako's head, comforting her as best she could.

Minako slowly calmed down and pulled back slightly to lock gazes with the archer, "I just found you," she whispered. She brought a hand to the side of Rei's neck, gently stroked her cheek with her thumb, as she closed her eyes and leaned in to rest her forehead on Rei's, "I _just_ found you and I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Rei whispered. She tilted her head up to kiss Minako's forehead reassuringly and pulled back to gently wipe Minako's tears away with her hand. As Minako opened her eyes, Rei brought her amethyst gaze back to those sapphires that she found so much pleasure in getting lost in, "I'm not going anywhere, Minako."

Minako smiled warmly at Rei, "Good," she whispered as she began to lean in to capture Rei's lips with her own.

"Ok!," Haruka said loudly, startling the two women and interrupting the moment they were having, "So, now that we've had dinner _and_ a show, who wants to go danc-OW!," Haruka yelped. She reflexively grabbed and rubbed the sharp pain from her shin after receiving a strong kick under the table from Michiru, who appeared to be elegantly sipping her cup to tea.

Minako and Rei had become so lost in each other that they forgot they were still in the presence of their friends. Both women blushed deeply as they turned their heads sheepishly towards the table.

"Aww, Haru-chan!," Usagi whined as she slammed her hand onto the table in disappointment, "It was getting _so_ good, too! They were probably about to kiss!"

"U-Usa-neechan! Mou!," Minako whined before burying her face into Rei's chest, trying to hide from embarrassment. Everyone at the table began laughing and giggling, breaking the earlier tension from Rei's stunt.

"Damn it, Haruka!," Rei exclaimed as she turned to glare at her best friend, who was back to wearing her tux.

"Haha! Sorry, guys!," Haruka chuckled as she raised her hands up innocently, "I just didn't want you to miss any of Setsuna's mixing, that's all!"

While Minako and Rei were lost in their own world, they didn't notice that the ballroom had been turned into what looked like a swanky nightclub. The house lights had been dimmed again and colorful, spiraling disco lights flashed around the room as a deep-sounding bass echoed throughout. Setsuna was back at a DJ booth, spinning popular tracks for the guests who had taken to the dance floor.

Minako's eyes lit up, "Wow, this is_ amazing_!," she turned to Rei excitedly, "C'mon, Rei-chan, let's go dance!"

"Ara, not so fast, Mina-chan," Michiru called towards them. Rei and Minako turned to look questioningly at Michiru, "Before anything else, Hotaru needs to visit with her Rei-niichan."

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei replied obediently, suddenly feeling very drained due to both exerting her abilities for her stunt and the adrenaline from it wearing off. She gently pulled away from Minako and flopped down in her chair. Minako took the teal sash from Rei's hand and put her hair back up into its signature look as she sat down in her chair and scooted it as close to Rei as possible. Hotaru quickly went to Rei, climbed up into her lap, and wrapped her small arms around her pale neck as Rei enveloped the small girl in her arms.

"Well _we're_ going to go dance! We'll see you all out there!," Usagi exclaimed excitedly as she stood up and grabbed Mamoru by the arm, "C'mon, Mamo-chan, you promised you'd dance with me!" She quickly pulled him to his feet and dragged him onto the dance floor.

"U-Umm...M-Mizuno-san?," Makoto stuttered, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

"Y-Yes?," Ami replied, timidly glancing at the chef.

"W-Would...Would you care to da-," Makoto began before a hotel staff member came up to the table and touched her lightly on the shoulder, "My apologies, Chef, but there's a matter in the kitchen for the scheduled event tomorrow that needs your attention."

"Ok...I'll be right there," Makoto sighed as she stood up, "Ladies, if you'll excuse me." Though Makoto addressed the table, she kept her eyes on Ami as she spoke. Ami looked away shyly and blushed. Minako and Michiru gave each other knowing glances as they watched the two women. Makoto turned and followed the hotel staff member towards the kitchen.

"That was _so_ awesome, Rei-niichan!," Hotaru exclaimed as she hugged her 'adopted uncle' tightly.

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei replied warmly. She could already feel herself gaining her strength back from Hotaru's energetic, dark-purple aura, "But, you know," she said matter-of-factly to the young girl, "I wouldn't be as tired as I am now if it wasn't for your baka Haruka-papa not being confident in herself."

"Hey! What the-OW!," Haruka began indignantly before Michiru calmly reached over and grabbed her ear, jerking her closer.

"Ara, was Haruka not holding up her end of the deal and putting our Rei in danger by stressing her out more than necessary?," Michiru asked with a voice as calm as a placid lake.

"No! I was just-OW!," Haruka began but was jerked again by Michiru's unforgiving grip.

"There's no point in lying to her, Haruka," Rei said as she smirked at her best friend, "You _know_ she can see auras and yours was _definitely_ not infusing the way it should have been."

"Rei's right, honey," Michiru smiled sweetly at her beloved as Haruka writhed in pain, "I also saw some of Rei's aura blending in with yours before you shot the arrow, which means she was _really_ exerting herself." She turned her gaze towards Rei, "Don't worry, Rei, I'll take care of Haruka tomorrow regarding this matter. I'll at least allow her to have our wedding night as a reprieve." She casually let go of Haruka's ear and the race car driver quickly retreated out of reach, rubbing her ear from pain.

"Thank you, Michiru," Rei replied with a satisfied smile, _That should get her back for making Firefly come check up on me and Minako!_

_Wow...scary!, _Minako and Ami thought simultaneously.

"Hino-san, so is that was happened to the arrow?," Ami asked, her scientific curiosity getting the best of her, "You infused it with both Michi-chan and Haru-san's auras?"

"Mmn," Rei replied casually, "In order for regular people to see spiritual colors, you have to spiritually 'burn' it on to something. That's why I chose a white arrow instead of a traditional bamboo arrow for the stunt. The ofuda I put on the arrow allowed it to become a receptacle so, when Haruka infused her aura with it, it became primed with her royal-blue aura. The ofuda I gave to Michiru embodies fire so, when it was primed with her teal aura, it created a fireball with the essence of her aura. Once Michiru's ofuda ignited, it became the catalyst that allowed the ofuda on the arrow to ignite and, in the process, take her aura into the arrow along with Haruka's and that's why you see both colors on there."

"Do you mind if I take a closer look, Michi-chan?," Ami asked as she pulled out her glasses.

"By all means," Michiru replied sweetly as she slid the arrow closer to Ami.

"Can I see it too?," Hotaru asked eagerly.

"Rei?," Michiru asked as she looked to the archer, concerned that she hadn't had enough time with her 'adopted niece'.

"I'm ok, Michiru," Rei replied with a nod, feeling much better than before. She gently lifted Hotaru off her lap and set her on the ground, "Go ahead, Firefly."

"Yay!," Hotaru exclaimed as she went to Haruka and climbed in her lap so she could lean over the table and look at the arrow more closely. The four of them quickly became engrossed in examining the arrow and conversing with each other, leaving Minako and Rei to themselves.

"Rei-chan, you're _such_ a pyro," Minako teased.

"Well, yeah," Rei replied matter-of-factly, "I told you fire's my specialty, didn't I?," She smiled slyly as she leaned towards Minako and whispered seductively in her ear, "And, trust me, Minako, I _really_ can't wait to play with _your _fire."

Minako's breath hitched at she felt Rei's warm breath tickle her neck, "You _fucking_ tease," Minako breathed as she shook her head.

"Oh, on the contrary, Minako," Rei whispered huskily, "If you haven't noticed already, I _always_ mean what I say."

"Isn't there a saying about playing with fire?," Minako whispered coyly.

"You've seen me with a flame, I know better than _anyone_ how to tame a fire," Rei smirked confidently, "If anything, Minako," she purred sensually, "_I'll_ probably be the one leaving you _burning _ for more." She leaned back in her seat, dragging her tongue across her lips suggestively as she stared at Minako behind hooded eyes.

The thought of Rei's lips...her hands...her tongue...leaving burning trails all over her made every cell in Minako's body come alive,

___Fuck...she's so hot!_, was the only thought that came to Minako mind. She cleared her throat, trying to hide the fact that she was struggling to focus on anything _but_ Rei's lips. A thought came to her and she smirked slyly, "Well, Hino-san, since it looks like you have your energy back now, maybe some dancing is in order?"

"Sounds good," Rei replied. As she was about to stand, Minako turned to Hotaru,

"Hey, Hotaru-chan," Minako said cheerfully, getting the young girl's attention, "Rei-niichan wants to go dancing. Can you take her for a spin to burn off some excess energy?"

"Yeah!," Hotaru replied excitedly. She slipped off of Haruka's lap and began tugging Rei's hand towards the dance floor, "C'mon, Rei-niichan!"

"Cheater," Rei whispered as she smirked and narrowed her eyes at Minako, who giggled and stuck her tongue out in reply. Rei turned to her 'adopted niece', "Alright, Firefly, I'm coming." As she stood up and followed Hotaru passed Haruka towards the dance floor, Rei grabbed Haruka firmly by the collar and dragged her to her feet, "Haruka-papa wants to come too."

"Wait, what!?," Haruka exclaimed.

"Yay!," Hotaru said, running back to grab one of Haruka's hands, "C'mon, Haruka-papa!"

Haruka sighed as she smiled at her 'adopted daughter', "Ok, ok, let's go," she said. The three went to the dance floor, leaving Minako, Michiru, and Ami at the table.

* * *

"Hey, Michi-chan?," Minako said, bringing her attention away from the dance floor and to her friend, "Ummm…I want to ask you about something, but I...I don't want to be rude," she said sheepishly.

"It's ok, Mina-chan," Michiru replied sweetly, "I had a pretty strong sense that you were a senshi but I wasn't totally sure until Rei started talking about the arrow and our abilities in front of you. What would you like to know?"

"Well," Minako began, "While we were upstairs, Rei-chan told me about how her mother saved your mother with a blood transfusion."

"Yes, Risa-obasan saved my and Okaasan's life," Michiru said as she smiled.

"Mmn, she also mentioned that you were working with a 'scientist-friend' in the States on...looking more into it or something," Minako continued. She looked to Ami, "I just assumed that 'friend' was you, Ami-chan. Hotaru-chan was the one who told us that you were a senshi also."

"U-Umm…," Ami said hesitantly as she looked towards Michiru, who smiled and nodded.

"It's fine, Ami-chan, you can tell her about it," Michiru replied, "Mina-chan should know since she's dating Rei now."

"M-Mmn," Ami replied with a nod. She turned to Minako, "Yes, Michi-chan has been providing me with blood and hair samples from herself as well as hair samples from Hino-san and her grandfather for a while now. I've been studying Hino-san's DNA since we started college."

"Wow, really!?," Minako exclaimed, "You've been studying her for _that_ long!?"

"Mmn," Ami nodded, "It's been quite fascinating and groundbreaking."

"So...what have you found so far?," Minako asked curiously, "Rei-chan mentioned something about Michi-chan's hair color and the transfusion her mother got. Is that related?"

"Yes, it is," Michiru replied as she gracefully ran her hand through her wavy, turquoise hair, "That was actually one of the first things Ami-chan confirmed for me. Okaasan had blonde hair just like yours but, when Okaasan had the transfusion with Risa-obasan's blood, traits of her blue hair were infused into my genes and that's how I got my aqua hair."

"Mmn," Ami agreed, "It was quite amazing that her blood was able to do that _just_ from a transfusion. When I did more research on their DNA, I was able to isolate and study the specific gene that expresses superhuman abilities. For the sake of ease, I just call it the Senshi gene and it appears to have a certain mutation that also causes it to have some parasitic characteristics."

"Wait, 'parasitic'?," Minako's eyes widened, "Is Rei-chan in danger?"

"Oh! No, no, not at all! Hino-san's fine! Very much so!," Ami reassured quickly, "What I meant by parasitic was that the gene is fairly dominant, but in a good way. The host or carrier of the gene doesn't experience any negative side effects, they're actually fairly normal in all ways and examinations except for certain special abilities, like Hino-san's and Michi-chan's ability to see auras or Michi-chan's intuition. But, when the gene leaves the host or carrier and is transmitted to another organism, say through a blood transfusion, it actually adapts to its surroundings and dominates. So, theoretically, while Michi-chan's mother was being healed, it altered Michi-chan's genes by attacking or dominating over the foreign genetics, namely Michi-chan's father's traits. You _could_ say then that Michi-chan and Hino-san are technically half-sisters through Hino-san's mother."

"Whoa," Minako whispered in awe. She turned to Michiru, "So is _that_ why you and Haruka call Rei-chan your 'sister', because she technically _is_?"

"No, we've been calling her that since we were little," Michiru replied, "When Risa-obasan passed away, I was only seven years old and too young to be able to repay her properly for what she did for me and Okaasan. So I made a promise to her that I would watch over Rei in her place."

"Mmn, I see," Minako replied with a nod. A realization came to her and her head shot back Ami, "Wait, Ami-chan, did you just say Michi-chan's mother was being _healed_ by the transfusion!?"

"Yes," Ami replied excitedly, "That's another unique feature of the Senshi gene, it actually has _really_ powerful healing traits when initially transplanted into a new organism. But, once it's adjusted to the organism and/or any perceived threat to the organism disappears, that trait disappears and the organism heals normally from then on. So, when Michi-chan's mother had the transfusion, it was this gene that saved her because it accelerated her healing process. If it was anyone else's blood, Michi-chan and her mother wouldn't have made it."

"Ami-chan theorizes that the Senshi gene does that in order to survive," Michiru chimed in, "So, theoretically, if I gave birth to a child, it would take on most, if not all, of my abilities and traits and pass the gene on. If I donated blood and someone who was injured or dying got the donation, the gene would cause the person to heal faster than a regular person and they would take on _part_ of my abilities or have any natural abilities of their own enhances since it's not as direct a transfer as giving birth to a child. It's actually an ingenious genetic mutation of survival."

"Mmn," Ami agreed with a nod, "For someone like Michi-chan, though her abilities are off the charts for a regular person, she's actually fairly average for someone with any type of supernatural abilities. Hino-san, on other hand, is already _off_ the charts for people with supernatural abilities. She's incredibly special."

Minako smiled at the last comment, "Mmn, she _is_ special." She glanced over at the dance floor where Rei and Haruka were laughing and dancing with little Hotaru. Michiru smiled warmly as she saw the adoration in Minako's clear, sapphires as she watched her childhood friend.

"So, for someone like Hino-san," Ami continued eagerly, unable to help herself when it comes to scientific phenomenons_,_ "If she were to give blood to someone, it could _exponentially_ heal them or possibly even _cure_ them of disease. I'm still doing research on that in particular, but I found that her Senshi gene in particular is _so_ dominant that she doesn't even _need_ to match the person's blood type to make it work since it can adapt to fit any organism. She's a _true_ universal donor in the purest sense. For her mother, it just so happened that her blood type matched Michi-chan's mother's, but it's not a requirement for someone like Hino-san. So, theoretically, if it were _Hino-san_ giving blood to someone like Michi-chan's mother, her Senshi gene would have cured her in a matter of hours or minutes, _annihilated_ the foreign genetics, and replace them with her own. The child could _then_ be considered Hino-san's biological child and would take on traits from the mother _and_ Hino-san without any trace of the father."

"Gods...This all sounds...so unreal," Minako shook her head in disbelief, "But I _know_ Ami-chan never lies when it comes to science so it _must_ be true!"

"It _is_ true," Ami replied excitedly. She quickly caught herself and turned serious, "But...you can't tell Hino-san about any of this, Mina-chan. Michi-chan and I agreed that we wouldn't share my research with anyone, not even Haru-san and _especially_ not Hino-san."

"Wait, what? Why?," Minako asked with confusion, "Rei-chan seemed _really_ excited about getting answers, especially since it's _her_ DNA and all."

"Rei's been used enough, Mina-chan," Michiru replied. Her usual sweet tone held an uncharacteristic firmness in it, taking Minako by surprise, "I started this research with Ami-chan to get answers for myself and she agreed to help me so she could use the research as a basis to develop innovative methods to heal the seriously injured or drugs to cure various diseases. What I _don't_ want is for Rei to become a lab-rat for the government or greedy corporations to test on. Rei, of _all_ people, _deserves_ a normal life. If _anyone_ were to find out what she could do, who _knows_ what would happen to her?" Her eyes narrowed, "Especially if her disgusting excuse of a father found out. _He_ would probably be the first to try and patent her and sell her to the highest bidder."

Minako was shocked by Michiru's sudden change of character. She had never seen _this_ side of the always elegant, graceful, and sweet violinist, "M-Mmn," Minako said hesitantly, "Rei-chan told me about her father."

"Did she tell you how he doesn't have a soul? How he's practically dead to the world?," Michiru asked icily.

"K-Kind of," Minako answered hesitantly, "But...isn't that a little harsh, Michi-chan?"

"The bastard doesn't have an aura," Michiru replied coldly.

"What!?," Michiru exclaimed in surprise, "_No_, she didn't tell me _that_! I thought _everyone_ has an aura!"

"He's shut himself off from the world," Michiru replied evenly, "That's the one thing that can throw our abilities. You can't read someone who's basically an unfeeling corpse. _All_ he cares about is work and money and he's shut down everything else." She pursed her lips, "Can you imagine, Mina-chan? Rei was only four when Risa-obasan passed away and he wasn't even there for the last year Risa-obasan was in the hospital on life-support. He didn't even come back for the _funeral_. He abandoned his only daughter, his flesh and blood, and now he's using her for his own profit! I was just starting off professionally and didn't have the means to help Rei at the time. Haruka's father didn't want to get involved since they were business partners so we both had to stand by and watch her ask that horrid man for help."

Minako knew Michiru believed that being anything other than calm and collected was beneath her. But, as she watched the elegant, aqua-haired woman, she noticed her hands were balled into fists and shaking ever so slightly. Her eyes mirrored that of the storming seas.

"Michi-chan…," Minako whispered.

"Michiru-mama?," a soft voice said with deep concern. Michiru was snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see Haruka and Hotaru standing next to her. Hotaru was pulling at her dress with her small hand, "Rei-niichan told me to come over and give you a hug because you were really sad I was gone for so long and you missed me."

Michiru looked towards Rei, who was standing towards the middle of the dance floor with her arms crossed in front of her. The archer half-smiled and winked at her childhood friend.

Michiru immediately relaxed and smiled warmly back. She looked down towards her 'adopted daughter', picked her up, and set her on her lap, "Yes, Hotaru," she said sweetly, "Michiru-mama feels much better now that you're here." She hugged Hotaru tightly as Haruka placed a concerned hand on Michiru's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear,

"Rei said you aura was going haywire but she didn't want to make a scene if we all ran over here to check on you," Haruka explained. She straightened and smiled towards Minako,

"Hey, Mina-chan," she said, pointing her thumb behind her towards Rei, "Your date's waiting for you to show her some of your moves."

Minako looked to Michiru with concern in eyes, "But-"

"I'll be fine, Mina-chan," Michiru smiled in reply, "Go have fun. Just remember what I said, ok?"

"Mmn," Minako replied firmly with a nod. She looked towards Rei, who smirked as she unraveling her arms. Placing one hand on her hip, she brought her other hand up and pointed her finger at Minako. Turning her hand so it was palm-side up, she alternated between curling and straightening her finger playfully, signaling Minako to come to her. Minako smiled as she got up and walking towards the most beautiful woman on the dance floor.

* * *

**Author Note:** Whew! Did you get all that? I didn't realize how much information I packed into this scene when I originally wrote it until I was editing it this weekend. I find it amusing that Chapter 12 was shorter than I thought and I ended up adding more to it whereas this chapter is just...huge o.O**  
**

I can't tell you how many wedding details I combed through when it came to my wedding which, in the end, we scrapped the entire idea and basically eloped ^_^ Funny how things in life just come around full-circle because it really helped when I was writing this story! =D

Why _that_ specific arrow? I was looking for one that was both lightweight and durable. Since Rei's supposed to be an archery ace, I'm pretty sure she'd think about those things when choosing an arrow to use for something like this, especially if it's going through what she did with it and she wants it to be a special gift to those important to her. I'm not an archer, but that's what came up in my research. ^_^ FYI, the 'traditional, zen archery technique' Rei performs is totally made up =P:::

From what I read, '**sha**' is usually called out in Kyudo once an arrow _hits_ a target. I decided to fudge the usage just for this story so forgive me! Citation below.

Kyudo. (n.d.). In _Culture Japan_. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from ?25877/Kyudo. (type "culture japan, kyudo - danny choo" into your search engine and it should be the first link)

If you're unclear about anything, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14

**Author Note:** I'm having a procedure done this week so I'm anticipating I won't have time to write or post this coming weekend. Wish me luck! ^_^ Because of that, posting an extra chapter today!

I'm not much of a dancer myself, but I like watching people who know what they're doing. =P:::

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Adams, W., Duhamel, F., Gómez , J., Guetta, D., Pineda, A. and Riesterer, F. (2009). _I Gotta Feeling_ [Recorded by The Black Eyed Peas]. On The E.N.D. [CD], Santa Monica, California: Interscope Records.

Coleman, J., Sebert, K., and Sebert, P. (2010). _Your Love Is My Drug_ [Recorded by Kesha]. On Animal [CD], Los Angeles, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Allen, R., Brown, C., Jones, J., Kennedy, B., and Merritt, A. (2008). _Forever_ [Recorded by Chris Brown]. On Exclusive [CD], Los Angeles, California: Village Studios.

Blanco, B., Levine, A., Malik, A., and Schuster, K. (2011). _Moves like Jagger_ [Recorded by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera]. On Hands All Over [CD], Los Angeles, California: A&M Octone Records.

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

**_- I've got a feeling (Woohoo) that tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good, good night. - _**

Setsuna was on a roll with her DJ skills, spinning popular tracks and adding her own flare with the DJ controllers and laptops she had in her disc jockey booth.

"So, I'm your date tonight, huh?," Minako asked coyly with a teasing tone as she danced with Rei, referring to how Rei and Haruka addressed her as such earlier in the night, "That's funny, I don't remember being properly _asked_ to be your date, Hino-san."

"Do you..._not _want to be my date?," Rei asked with a touch of hurt in her voice, "Would you...rather be with someone else?" She pouted and did an incredibly good impression of a wide-eyed, dejected puppy, "Because...I wouldn't."

"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako softened as she hooked her fingers into Rei's belt loops and pulled her closer, "Of course not, silly. There's no one else I'd rather be with right now than with you." A soft blush came to her cheeks, "I just want to hear it, that's all."

Rei smiled at the gorgeous blonde she had come to cherish so recently. She took Minako's hands gently in her own and looked her straight in the eye, "Aino Minako, will you do me the honor of being my date tonight?"

Minako blushed heavily from Rei's intense gaze and forwardness, "Yes, Rei-chan," she whispered back bashfully. The two continued dancing together, enjoying Setsuna's smooth beats.

"Oh, by the way," Rei said as a thought came to her, "What were you and Michiru talking about earlier? She seemed pretty pissed."

"Oh, nothing. She was just telling me how pissed she was at Haruka for not doing her part during your stunt," Minako replied casually with a shrug, quickly covering for Michiru.

Rei raised an eyebrow at Minako. Having known Michiru and Haruka all her life, she knew something like that wouldn't have made Michiru as upset as her aura had displayed. Nonetheless, she allowed the lie to slide, suspecting that Michiru had requested for Minako to keep their conversation private. In any case, if Michiru _wanted_ Rei to know, the elegant woman would tell her eventually, "I always thought if it ever came down to a fight between Michiru and Haruka, I'd put all my money on Michiru any day," Rei chuckled.

"Yeah, me too," Minako replied with chuckle. She could tell Rei didn't really buy her excuse but was glad that the archer didn't press the subject, "Especially after seeing her almost take Haruka's ear off! That was scary!"

"Yeah, Michiru's really something alright," Rei smirked as she glanced over at the table. Usagi and Mamoru had tapped out from dancing a while ago and were back at the table, conversing and laughing with Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru. Ami and Makoto were sitting a small ways away from the group and were having, what looked like, their own, private conversation. She smiled as she watched her childhood friends enjoying themselves, "But it's good because she keeps Haruka in check. They're really good for each other."

**_- Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. -_**

As the next song played, they continued to move together in time to its upbeat sound. Both women were exceptionally great dancers and quickly became mesmerized by the other's movements without faltering in their own. Rei placed her hands on Minako's hips and pulled her closer, allowing herself to become lost in Minako's orange-gold aura that flickered playfully around the slender woman's form as if it were dancing with them to the music. Minako responded to Rei's actions by draping her arms around Rei's neck, bringing her closer, _How did I survive this long without her?,_ both thought to themselves.

"I can't seem to get enough of you, Minako," Rei breathed as she watched Minako through hooded, violet eyes.

Minako chuckled softly, "Be careful what you wish for, Rei-chan," she challenged playfully as she looked deep into Rei's amethyst orbs with her own piercing cobalts, "You might never get rid of me."

Rei smirked, "Maybe that's what I want," she quipped.

She saw Minako's aura flare a bit in response. Before she knew it, Minako had buried one of her hands in Rei's dark mane at the base of her head. She leaned in and brought her soft lips to gently brush the length of Rei's neck, starting from the crook and moving upwards towards her ear, sending small shivers throughout the raven-haired woman's body. Rei involuntarily tilted her head upwards slightly from the sensation as a soft sigh escaped her lips. She heard Minako inhale deeply, taking in Rei's vanilla scent,

"Maybe _you're_ what I want, Rei-chan," Minako's melodic voice whispered seductively before she flicking Rei's earlobe with her tongue. A low, quiet moan echoed from the back of Rei's throat. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as her eyes rolling back only for a moment. Her skin tingled as she felt Minako's warm breath against her ear. An urge she never felt before began throbbing inside of her, threatening to engulf her with desire for the gorgeous blonde that was swaying provocatively against her.

"Kami-sama, Minako," Rei whispered, trying to control her slightly ragged breathing, "You're _such_ a tease."

"Speak for yourself, Rei-chan," Minako replied huskily as she pulled away to look the archer in the eye. Rei could see an intensity within Minako's cerulean eyes that seemed to burn for her and rival the intensity her orange-gold aura now took on, "Having you _this_ close to me and not being able to kiss you is driving me insane." A soft, playful smirk pulled at her lips, "I'm just returning the favor."

"Well, we can easily fix that," Rei replied in a low tone as she tilted her head to the side and leaned in. Minako gently placed the tip of her finger on Rei's lips, stopping her.

"Always so impatient, Rei-chan," Minako chided playfully as she shook her head, "As much as I want to, and, believe me, I do, knowing what your kisses do to me I can't promise that I'll be able to hold myself back. Also, I don't think our friends would ever let us live it down, _especially_ Haru-chan and Usa-neechan."

Rei let out a small, disappointed sigh. She knew Minako was right and she also wanted to respect Minako's decision. But, that didn't mean she couldn't get Minako back for teasing her, right? She smirked at Minako mischievously. Without breaking their gaze, she parted her lips to allow her tongue to stroke the tip of Minako's finger before capturing it between her lips, gently sucking on it.

Minako gasped softly as her eyes rolled back ever so slightly before she closed her eyes. Every cell in her body screamed for the archer as she felt Rei's warm tongue slide against the pad of her finger. As Minako reluctantly retracted her finger from Rei's mouth, the beautiful, raven-haired woman nipped at it playfully with her teeth, causing a shock wave of need to shoot through every corner of Minako's body. She felt her muscles clench deep inside of her as her resolve was being chipped away.

"You...are _so_ bad, Rei-chan," Minako breathed once she caught her breath. She opened her azure eyes slightly to eye the archer swaying with her to the music, "Do you know what happens to bad girls?," she smirked devilishly.

"What, Minako?," Rei challenged, her breath beginning to come out in soft pants.

"Bad girls get punished," Minako said in a low sensual voice.

**_- It's you and me moving at the speed of light into eternity, yeah. Tonight is the night to join me in the middle of ecstasy. Feel the melody in the rhythm of the music around you, around you. I'm gonna take you there. I'm gonna take you there so don't be scared, I'm right here, baby. We can go anywhere, go anywhere. But first, it's your chance, take my hand, come with me. It's like I've waited my whole life for this one night. It's gonna be me you and the dance floor. -_**

Minako grabbed the lapel of Rei's jacket with one hand and pushed her away firmly so she was forced to take a couple steps back. At the sudden movement, the guests on the dance floor began forming a circle around Minako, giving her space.

Minako smirked as she began rocking her hips to the upbeat tempo of the music. Closing her eyes, Minako tilted her head forward slightly as she swayed to the beat, snapping her fingers. She slowly began raising her arms, straight out to her sides, moving them up until they were straight above her head. On a beat, she allowed her arms to bend at the elbows, letting her hands fall behind her head. Her head rolled back and to the side slightly, exposing her delicate neck. In a smooth motion, she began bringing her elbows down in front of her until they were back down to her sides, her hands meeting the back of her neck. As she continued to bring her elbows back past her sides, her hands ran down the front of her shoulders, following the silhouette of her lithe body until they came to rest on her hips, her head rolling to the front again. She began sensually doing hip-rolls to the beat while rotating her body counter-clockwise, her movements rivaling those of the world's best belly dancers. The guests began cheering and whistling, encouraging her to continue.

When she completed a half-turn, her back now towards Rei, she glanced over her shoulder with hooded cerulean eyes at the archer, whose mouth was slightly open, her amethyst orbs unabashedly raking Minako's body. Minako smirked seductively as she ran one hand through her silky, gold hair and rested the other on her thigh. She swayed her hips in a figure-eight while in place, slowly lowering herself to the floor by bending her knees. Before she reached the ground, she bent her upper-body forward, arching her back, and straightened her legs, allowing her behind to come up first. She slowly brought her upper-body back up and, once she was upright, finished the move with a body-roll. She did more hip-rolls, continuing her rotation until she was facing Rei again, locking her piercing, cobalt gaze on the object of her affection as she rocked her hips to the music.

* * *

To say Rei was mesmerized would be a grave understatement. She didn't realize she had begun to pant heavily from lust as she watched the gorgeous blonde move her form so erotically, knowing she was dancing just for her. Her muscles clenched reflexively from an unknown aching need. But, more than anything, she was mesmerized by Minako's aura, which radiated from her like a roaring fire. She yearned to feel that aura shooting through her being. Minako was so close to her, yet _just_ out of reach. Rei watched hungrily as her aura continued to sway playfully, licking Minako's creamy skin as if taunting Rei, making her wish so badly that it was _her_ tongue or fingers, not Minako's aura, licking and touching that soft skin.

Minako knew _exactly_ what she was doing and she was _absolutely_ right, Rei _did_ feel like she was being punished. But she loved it. Every..._agonizing..._second of it.

* * *

Minako, finally feeling merciful, strode confidently to the beat of the music towards Rei. She grabbed the lapels of Rei's jacket with both hands and took backwards steps, pulling her into the circle with her. Rei smirked as she willingly complied. When they reached the center of the circle, Minako stopped and firmly pulled her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other, practically feeling the other woman's heartbeat racing in her chest.

Rei's rare, violet eyes were hooded and burned for the gorgeous blonde as she licked her lips reflexively. Minako's hooded sapphires searched Rei's face with intensity, landing on her lips. She leaned in closer, biting her lip as she felt Rei's breath brush her face. Though she meant to torture Rei with her dancing, she inadvertently found _herself_ in just as much, if not more, luscious agony as she witness how much the beautiful archer was affected by it.

Suddenly, she turned around and pressed her back up against Rei's front. Allowing herself to lean against the taller woman, she did a body-roll against her and continued to move to the beat of the music. She reached behind her until she found Rei's hands and guided them to rest on her swaying hips. Rei closed her eyes as she leaned in and buried her face in Minako's hair, breathing in her scent, taking in her aura. Falling into it, she moved her face to nuzzle within the crook of Minako's neck and began moving with her. She slid one of her pale hands forward slowly to rest on the front of Minako's stomach, holding her closer. Minako leaned her head back to rest on Rei's shoulder as she closed her eyes. One of her creamy hands found a place to rest on top of Rei's hand on her stomach, the other reached behind her to rest on the back of Rei's neck, pulling her closer.

"How was your punishment, pyro?," Minako whispered teasingly in Rei's ear.

"...Torturous," Rei breathed.

"Good," Minako smirked, "That should teach you a lesson."

At that, Rei came back to her senses. Not one to back down from a challenge, she smirked as she heard the next song begin to play, "Two can play at this game, Minako," she said mischievously.

**_- You wanted control so we waited. I put on a show, now I make it. You say I'm a kid, my ego is big, I don't give a shit. And it goes like this: Take me by the tongue and I'll know you. Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger. I don't need to try to control you. Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger. -_**

Rei expertly spun Minako out of her embrace, pulling on her teal sash to unravel her golden hair. Minako gracefully followed through with the spin until she was facing Rei a few steps away and at the edge of the circle. Rei strode confidently towards Minako until she was standing inches from her, "Now, it's my turn."

She twisted her dark mane up quickly, using Minako's sash to keep it up and in place. When she finished, she winked at Minako and began gliding away. Minako's eyes widened in awe as she realized Rei was moonwalking smoothly backwards across the floor away from her. Once Rei was in the middle of the circle, she stopped and did a backflip landing softly into a half-split on a beat with one leg extended in front of her and one bent underneath her. She swung her bent leg outwards to unravel and rolled to her back. Using the momentum, she tucked her knees towards her chest and brought her hands by her head, doing a kip-up so she was standing again. She moving her feet quickly in a criss-cross motion as she began toprocking to the deep beat of the music. After a few beats, she went to the ground and began doing a two step breakdance move. As she completed a circle with the move and swung her leg out, she rolled to her back and transitioned to doing windmills. After a few, she pushed herself from the floor a little more, changing her windmills to flares. The guests began hooting and clapping at Rei's performance.

* * *

Minako couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her heart was pounding as she watched Rei aggressively execute each move with precision and control. She became quickly mesmerized by the raw power Rei displayed in her moves. The lustful feelings she had for Rei before seemed to pale in comparison to how she felt now. As Minako watched Rei expertly move her pale hands to rotate herself in the flare, every inch of her ached to be underneath those powerful hands and have Rei pressing roughly against _her_ instead. She wanted...no...she _needed_ Rei.

* * *

With the skill of a gymnast, Rei slowed the flares down and lifted one hand to do a one-handed pike freeze for a few seconds before unraveling and bringing her feet back down to Earth on a beat, landing facing Minako. Once she straightened, she smirked at the sight of Minako's wide eyes glued to her, her aura flaring brightly like a barely contained flame. Rei began intricately moving her feet, turning and gliding towards Minako as if she were weightless. The song ended as she came to a stop in front of the stunned blonde, taking a polite bow in front of her that reminded Minako so much of the hummingbird from earlier that day.

When Rei straightened, Minako couldn't stop herself and threw her arms around Rei's neck as she brought her lips to meet Rei's in a firm kiss. Rei caught the gorgeous blonde and wrapped her arms around Minako's waist, holding her close as she closed her eyes. Before they deepend the kiss, the sound of Setsuna's voice abruptly brought them back to reality,

"Ladies and gentlemen," Setsuna's voice called out over the speakers, hinting at an amused smile, "Hino Rei and Aino Minako."

The two women broke their kiss and began looking around in surprise. The roaring cheers from the wedding guests that surrounded them was deafening. Both women blushed deeply as they caught sight of their friends lining one side of the circle, whistling and applauding the loudest.

"And with that," Setsuna continued, "We've come to the end of the night. Again, thank you so much everyone for coming. If you plan on going home, please drive safely. If you plan on staying the night, please enjoy the hotel's hospitality. Have a good night, everyone!"

* * *

**Author Note:** A small chapter to prepare for the next scene. The temperature is rising little by little. We'll see where it goes ;)

_Update:_ One reviewer commented on how this chapter, specifically the dance-off, wouldn't be something Rei or Minako would do and it changed their personalities from the previous chapters. I want to note that I do take the constructive feedback I get to heart because I'd like for this story to be good. Though I appreciate this specific feedback, I'm sad that the person wrote in as a guest as I would have loved to discuss the matter in further detail and get more insight on that opinion.

Obviously, as I write this story, I have certain ideas of who Rei and Minako are. I envision them being multidimensional individuals as most people are when placed in different settings, scenarios/circumstances, or even company. I'm hoping as the story progresses those different layers and intricacies begin to present themselves. But I also like having readers pick up on whatever they like from the story and make it meaningful to them instead of me, as the author, dictating the lens through which the story should/shouldn't be read or who the characters are/aren't. I know there's a bit of irony in this, seeing as though I'm the one creating this story and, thus, shaping the details and direction, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a different perspective.

With all that being said, I know there's no pleasing everyone but I'd at least like the opportunity to dialogue about it as I think it helps with the creative process. =P::: With this being my first story, I'm not exactly sure what my writing style is. I feel like I've just been writing for the sake of writing rather than trying to fit a certain style or follow a certain framework. =T

For now, I think I'll keep this the way it is unless I find that others feel the same way and that it shouldn't be part of the story? In that case I'll definitely have to rework some future scenes...

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	15. Chapter 15

**Author Note:** Hello, back again! Thanks for the well-wishes! I was on bed-rest for most of the last 2 weeks and not allowed to even use a laptop...literally just lying in bed and only getting up to use the restroom. Needless to say, got through lots of anime and TV shows but didn't get much writing done. -_-;;

_Pop-Quiz: 3 Questions_

_1 -_ In Chapter 9, what's the first line of the song Usagi and Minako sing together in the car on the way to the hotel?

_2 -_ In Chapter 2, what's the last line of the song Rei listens to while she's unpacking her archery gear?

_3_ - What's the rating of this story?

**quju shenyi - **[Chinese] A traditional Chinese garb. For a photo, you can look it up under the term 'hanfu'.

Hanfu. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from wiki/Hanfu

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Wozniak, J. (1997). _Sex and Candy_ [Recorded by Marcy Playground]. On Marcy Playground [CD], London, England: EMI Group Limited.

Coleman, J., Gottwald, L., Martin, M., and Perry, K. (2011). _E.T. _[Recorded by Katy Perry]. On Teenage Dream [CD], Hollywood, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Dean, E., Eriksen, M., Hermansen, T. E., and Wilhelm, S. (2011). _S&M _[Recorded by Rihanna]. On Loud [CD], New York, New York: Def Jam Recordings.

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

Once Setsuna ended the night and all the guests were seen off by the wedded couple, the wedding party congregated in front of the elevators to go to their respective rooms. As they waited, the friends chatted non-stop about the highlights of the night.

"That was _so_ cool, Rei-niichan!" Hotaru squealed as she tightened her grip around her 'adopted uncle's neck and rested her head on Rei's shoulder, enjoying the piggy-back ride she was getting in exchange for her energizing aura, "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei replied with a smile. She turned to look at Haruka and gestured towards her with her elbow, "Your Haruka-papa was the one who taught me when we were kids."

"Can you teach me some of those moves, Haruka-papa!?," Hotaru asked excitedly, "Please, please, please!"

"Yeah, sure, kiddo!," Haruka replied cheerfully, "When I come back from the honeymoon, we can-,"

"Ara, Haruka," Michiru interjected sweetly with a hint of concern in her voice as she slid her hand underneath Haruka's arm and pulled the race car driver closer, getting her attention, "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Mmn, me neither," Setsuna agreed with a nod towards Haruka as she crossed her arms, "I don't want Hotaru breaking her neck or hurting herself trying to do those moves." She turned to Hotaru and brought a hand up to stroke her head, "Maybe when you're older. Ok, hun?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Hotaru said disappointedly.

"It's ok, Firefly," Rei encouraged "That just gives you more time to eat well and take care of yourself so you can become strong enough do those things."

Hotaru's mood brightened immediately, "Mmn!" she replied cheerfully with an enthusiastic nod.

**_Ding!_**

An elevator car arrived and, as the doors slid open, Rei knelt down to return Hotaru to the ground. The young girl dismounted and quickly went to Setsuna, grabbing a hold of her hand. As the group began filing in they continued their respective conversations. Usagi and Mamoru got in first, followed by Ami, Makoto (who held a permanent residence at the hotel due to her position), Setsuna, Hotaru, Michiru, Haruka, and Rei.

As Minako took a step into the elevator, a loud, high-pitched, obnoxious sound echoed within the elevator.

**_Beep! Beep! Beep!_**

"What's that sound?," Usagi asked nervously from the back of the elevator.

"It's a safety mechanism in the elevators," Makoto replied, "I think that sound means there's too many people in the elevator."

Minako immediately stepped back into the hallway, which caused the noise to stop and confirmed Makoto's comment, "Well, I guess that means I'll get the next one," she giggled.

"Awww, Mina-chan!," Usagi pouted from the back of the elevator, "I can get out and wait with you for the next elevator."

"Mou, Usa-neechan," Minako sighed as she rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous, I'm fine waiting by myself. Besides, you're _way_ back there! I'll just see you soon."

"I can-," Rei began, but her voice was drowned out by another loud, obnoxious sound echoing within the elevator.

**_Beeeeeeep!_**

"Careful! The doors are going to close on their own because they've been held open for too long," Makoto explained over the sound.

"Have a good night, everyone!," Minako called cheerfully over the sound as she pushed the call button for the next elevator.

Rei's shoulders slumped and she let out a disappointed sigh. She gave Minako a half-smile and a small wave as the doors of the elevator began slowly closing. Minako smiled and waved back shyly as she mouthed a small 'good night' in reply.

Suddenly, Rei's eyes widened as she felt a mischievous, royal-blue aura quickly approaching from behind,

"Whoa!," she exclaimed as she felt a sudden pressure between her shoulder blades. Before she knew it, she found herself pitching forward, stumbling through the closing elevators doors and out into the hallway.

"Rei-chan!," Minako exclaimed in surprise. Luckily, she was able to catch Rei in her arms before the archer fell to the ground. Once Rei caught her footing, she whipped her head around and caught the look of mischief in Haruka's dark-blue eyes,

"Rei, keep Mina-chan company while she goes up to her room, ok?," Haruka chuckled and waved at her before the doors closed and the elevator began moving upwards.

* * *

**_Wrrr….._**

"Fucking asshole," Rei scoffed under her breath as she straightened, her eyes still trained on the elevator doors.

"Are you ok, Rei-chan?," Minako asked with concern, bringing Rei quickly out of her annoyance and into the present moment. Rei's eyes widened as she immediately registered who she was alone with and what Haruka did. A smirk formed on her lips, _Thanks, Haruka. I owe you one.  
_

"More than ok," Rei said sincerely as she turned to smile at her savior, "That's for saving me. I guess that makes you _my_ hero now."

Minako blushed slightly at the comment as a soft smile formed on her lips. Other hotel patrons began congregating near the elevators and Rei moved to stand side-by-side with Minako, facing the elevators.

**_Ding!_**

Another elevator car soon arrived and the doors slid open. Rei entered first, pressed the button for the 25th floor, and went to the back-left corner of the elevator. She turned to face the doors and brought her hands up to rest on the gold, hip-height railing behind her that ran the length of the back wall as she leaned against it casually. Minako followed, pressing the button for the 13th floor, and went to stand next to Rei.

A very tall, stunning woman wearing a loose, pink quju shenyi with white trim and a yellow sash tied around the waist entered next. A beauty mark graced her delicate cheek below her left eye and her hazel gaze held the faintest color of purple that complimented her long, dark-purple hair which was braided starting at the base of her neck and going down past her waist. As she turned and lifted a hand to press the button for the 3rd floor, Rei noticed a large, white bangle with an emerald clasp on her delicate wrist that flashed a hint of red on the underside. Rei smirked to herself as she read the person's aura, _Wow, I would have never guessed. For a guy, he's makes a really pretty woman!,_ She stole a side-glance towards the blonde next to her and blushed slightly, _But he's nothing in comparison to Minako._

A female couple, a little older than Rei and Minako, with a small child walked in next. The taller of the two walked in first and was wearing a white blouse under a flattering, brown, women's military jacket. Her matching, knee-length pencil-skirt sported a modest slit that showed off her long, toned legs that were covered by dark-grey stockings. Her long, blonde hair was kept neatly together near the ends with a black ribbon tied in a bow. As she turned to press the button for the 6th floor with her left hand, her right arm came up to wrap around the smaller woman's shoulders, holding her close.

The smaller woman was also wearing a women's military suit, but her jacket was white with navy trim and her navy pencil-skirt came down just above her thigh-high, white stockings that covered her slender legs. Her long, auburn hair was pulled up into a side pony-tail to the left-side of her head.

The young child, who was holding the smaller woman's right hand, wore what looked to be a school uniform with a brown, school backpack on her back. She had long, dark-blonde hair with two, blue ribbons on either side of her head that held up adorably small twin-tails.

As the child walked into the elevator with her parents, she caught a glimpse of Minako with her heterochromatic emerald and crimson eyes and smiled shyly. Minako smiled back warmly and gave a small wave, which caused the child to blush slightly and turn to face the doors. Minako's gaze went to the backs of the two women, _Wow, this must be a really bougie place if high-ranking, air force officers stay her too!_

The group stood silently as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

**_Wrrr….._**

The Elegancia, which was known mostly for its elegance and A-list patrons, also had a modern edge to it that allowed for them not to take themselves so seriously as to play the typical elevator jingles that were stereotypically expected from such high-class establishments.

Once the lift began moving, a song with a lazy low beat began playing softly from the speakers.

**_- Like double-cherry pie, yeah, there she was. Like disco super-fly. I smell sex and candy here. Who's that lounging in my chair? Who's that casting devious stares in my direction? Mama, this surely is a dream. Yeah, Mama, this surely is a dream. -_**

Minako was trying hard not to show it, but she was having some trouble breathing. The flirting, the looks, the soft touches, the dancing, the kisses…_Gods, the kisses!_

The sexual tension that had been building up between her and Rei since the night before was beginning to overpower her. Now, being so close to the archer in such a small space, it took everything in her not to pin the tragically, beautiful woman against the elevator wall and claim her lips in front of the the other hotel patrons.

She glanced over at Rei from the corner of her azure eyes. Rei was leaning her head back against the wall with her eyes closed. She was breathing deeply and slowly through her nose and almost appears as if she had fallen asleep standing up. Minako couldn't help but stare at her flawless, porcelain skin. As her eyes wandered to Rei's pale neck, she licked her lips as the thought of tasting the woman's skin at that spot entered her mind.

* * *

**_Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped at the 3rd floor and the tall wo(man?) adjusted her (his?) bangles as s(he?) gracefully exited the elevator. After a silent pause, the elevator doors slowly closed and continued on its journey.

**_Wrrr….._**

Another song with an almost haunting beat began playing through the speakers.

**_- You're so hypnotizing. Could you be the Devil? Could you be an angel? Your touch, magnetizing. Feels like I am floating, leaves my body glowing -_**

On the outside, Rei appeared to have dozed off as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator. But, if one happened to glance down at her hands, they would have seen them shaking slightly from gripping the elevator railing so tightly. In reality, Rei was being consumed by thoughts of Minako and was desperately trying to calm herself down to prevent from ravaging the seductive blonde right here in front of the other hotel patrons. The sexual tension had been so palatable between her and Minako since the night before, she could practically _taste_ it.

The thought of tasting Minako's lips, her tongue, her skin...made Rei's breath hitch slightly. It also wasn't helping that she could see Minako's aura in her mind's eye burning ominously, practically raking her body from head to toe. Rei could almost _feel_ the orange-gold flames licking the side of her neck, which caused a slight tingling sensation and she had to bite her tongue to stifle a soft moan.

A born pyro, Rei played with fire for most of her life. She fell in love with it at first sight when her grandfather introduced it to her at a young age at the shrine while training her in her abilities. She respected it and understood how to manipulate it, making it bend to and perform at her will. She was master to the earthly element and it obeyed her every bidding willing, almost submissively. But this…this aura that was blazing out of control...it was unpredictable...raw...dangerous.

And Rei _wanted_ it..._all_ of it.

* * *

**_Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped at the 6th floor and the small family exited the elevator, leaving Minako and Rei to themselves. After a silent pause, the elevator doors closed and continued its ascent.

**_Wrrr….._**

**_- 'Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it. Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me. –_**

They were finally alone. The two women were frozen in place, neither one daring to make the first move while desperately willing the other to do so.

Rei could barely hear the sounds of Minako's soft, ragged breathing over the deafening sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

Minako's urges were coming to a head. Rei's breathing, her scent, her presence...was all-consuming. She couldn't take not being pressed up against Rei's curves but was practically paralyzed by how strongly she desired the beautiful archer. Taking a breath, she turned to look at Rei, who was standing frightfully still. As her gaze trailed down Rei's body, something caught her eye. Was it just her or was Rei's hand...shaking? Slowly, Minako brought her hand up, reaching towards Rei's hand.

As Rei's grip tightened on the railing behind her, she saw Minako's aura in her mind's eye moving closer.

* * *

_**Slam!**_

"Aah-mmm!," Before Minako knew what happened, she found her back being slammed firmly against the side-wall of the elevator. Her gasp of surprise was swallowed by fervent lips and replaced with a tongue that greedily explored her mouth. The kiss embodied so many unspoken words of passion, lust, and need that it sent a lightning-bolt through her that ended in an electrifying shock deep between her legs. Her body was being pinned to the wall by Rei's perfect, toned form. Pale, strong hands roughly explored every inch of her curves, occasionally raking nails on her exposed, creamy skin that left delicious, burning trails.

This is what Minako wanted...what she _needed_. She quickly gave in and closed her eyes, allowing her senses to take over. She kissed Rei back just as ferociously, sucking and biting at her lip while her own needy tongue invaded Rei's mouth. The elevator cabin echoed with the sounds of quickened breath and desperate gasps. Minako's hands were just as insistent, if not more, clawing at Rei's back and digging into her scalp as she fisted her silky, black hair. As Minako leveraged the wall to try and push herself impossibly closer to the sensual, toned body holding her down, she felt Rei's body let up slightly. For a moment, Minako thought she was winning this heated battle until Rei threw all her weight into the writhing blonde, her thigh hitting between Minako's legs.

The force of being pinned against the wall a second time and the full-body sensation that shot through Minako from Rei's thigh caused their kiss to break, allowing Minako to let out a loud and desperate moan, "Oh, Gods!"

This only encouraged Rei as she let out a low growl before ducking to attack Minako's neck savagely. Minako's breath was now coming out in a mix of pants and moans in Rei's ear, urging on Rei's desires.

Unable to deny the throbbing urge that was growing inside of her, Minako wrap her arms around Rei's body, grasping her jacket tightly in her hands. She lifted one of her legs up to wrap possessively around Rei's waist, allowing her to grind herself against Rei's thigh.

Rei's hand followed the outline of Minako's body, along the smooth thigh of her lifted leg, until it stopped in the bend under Minako's knee. As Minako rolled her hips up and down the length of Rei's thigh, Rei alternated between pulling her and relaxing in the same rhythm while moving her own thigh in the opposite motion, helping the gorgeous blonde gain more purchase with every movement.

"Aah…Rei-chan," Minako moaned breathlessly, "Gods...mmm...that feel _so_ good...aah...keep going."

Rei, relishing the desperate tone in Minako's voice, continued her ministrations, forcing more ragged moans to escape Minako's lips.

"Fuck…Rei-chan," Minako moaned as her head tilted back to lean against the wall behind her for support, "Aah...I want you…Gods...I can't wait to fuck you."

At this, Rei hesitated and slowed her movements slightly. Though she still continued her actions, they were less fervent than before. Being practically wrapped around Rei, this didn't go unnoticed by Minako and her azure eyes immediately shot open,

"Rei-chan," Minako said in a more collected tone. She loosened her grip on Rei's jacket and patted her back quickly a couple times with her hand, "S-Stop. Stop, Rei-chan."

Rei could feel the shift in Minako's aura. Though it still flared with desire, its intensity had lessened and began exuding strong strands of concern. She cursed at herself silently for faltering at Minako's comment, "It's…It's ok, Minako," Rei said while nipping Minako's neck, "Don't worry…I'm ok."

Before Rei knew what happened, Minako quickly brought her hands in between them to the lapels of Rei's jacket. In one swift motion, she ripped the jacket off of Rei's shoulders and cinching it tightly around Rei's body, just below her elbows, pinning the archer's arms to her sides so she couldn't move. Rei nearly stumbled as she felt herself being swiftly pushed backwards until her back slammed against the opposite elevator wall.

_**Slam!**_

Rei winced, not from being slammed into the wall, but from the orange-gold aura that was now flowing through her with…Disappointment, Hurt, Sadness, and…Anger?

When she open her amethyst eyes, she was startled as they were met, not with bright, sapphire eyes, but deep, midnight-blue eyes...and tears were threatening to fall from them,

"First rule, Hino-san," Minako said in a low, slightly wavering, warning tone through gritted teeth, "When a girl says 'stop', that means stop."

Rei eyes widened as she stared back in shock at the sound of her name being called so formally, so distantly by the usually playful blonde.

After a pause, Minako firmly pushed herself off of Rei, letting go of her tight grip on the jacket and freeing the archer's arms. Rei, still in shock, didn't notice as the jacket slipped down her arms and fell to the ground, collecting behind her feet.

Minako continued to back up until she was pressed against the opposite wall. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, "You…you said you'd be honest with me," she said in a low, even tone, "You said you'd let me know if you weren't ok with something." She opened her eyes and looked at Rei with serious intensity, "I...I don't know if this is going to work if...if I can't trust you."

"M-Minako," Rei stuttered softly. She could see the overwhelming disappointment in Minako's aura, blending with strands of hurt. Ashamed and no longer able to hold Minako's intense gaze, she turned her gaze to the ground next to her,

"I'm...I'm sorry," Rei whispered, "You have every right to be disappointed in me. I'm such a baka, I didn't mean to hurt you or make you upset. I'm _really_ sorry, Minako."

Seeing Rei practically cowering and apologizing, using words that perfectly described her own feelings, Minako knew that she had gotten Rei's attention. She softened her voice to one of concern, "Rei-chan, I know this is new for you. And I'm sure your abilities and my aura don't help in making navigating all of this easy. Talk to me, Rei-chan. You were all over me the first chance you got but you hesitated when I mentioned having sex with you. You already know how I feel about you, it's no secret I've wanted you since I saw you at Kirei. But, Rei-chan, what do _you_ want?"

Rei looked up at the gorgeous blonde hesitantly. Minako's eyes had returned to their inviting, sapphire color and her aura returned to it's warm, protective glow she always felt so safe in. She took a small step forward, "Minako, I-," she began softly.

"Don't move," Minako said firmly, interrupting her and halting Rei in her tracks. A sting of hurt shot through Rei's heart as she watched Minako pressed herself against the wall as much as she could, trying to keep herself as far from Rei as possible.

Though it pained Minako to see the beautiful, raven-haired woman so upset by her actions, she knew it was necessary for their conversation, "I need you to stay over there. I don't want you getting confused and _thinking_ you know what you want or don't want because of me and my aura," she explained in a softer tone, "Talk to me, Rei-chan," she repeated, "What do you want?"

"You," The word came out of Rei's mouth before she even realized it and it took her by surprise. She took a moment to think, to _really_ think about what it was she wanted, "I…I do," she continued softly, "I want _you_, Minako. I want you so much, I can barely _stand_ it. I've…I've never in my life wanted any_thing_ or...any_one_ more...but...," She paused, struggling with what she was about to say next. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She turned away and hung her head, shutting her eyes tightly as her hands balling into fists.

"But?," Minako encouraged gently, resisting the urge to run over and comfort the beautiful archer.

"But…," Rei started again, nervously, "I…I don't know if…if I'm ready to…reciprocate." She shook her head in disgust at herself, "I know...I _know_ it selfish, that's why I…I thought I could, but I…I can't."

"…I see," Minako whispered.

* * *

**_Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator doors slid open as it stopped at the 13th floor, Minako's floor. Rei was frozen in place, bracing herself for Minako's reaction, anticipating Minako's next move: walk out the door, never see her again. And who would blame her? The gorgeous blonde had already been _more_ than accommodating and understanding up to this point. First it was Rei's abilities, then this being her first relationship, and now...this? A person can only take so much.

Rei gritted her teeth, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she heard the sounds of footsteps going towards the door. She suspected as much. Not only had she broken Minako's trust, she was asking _way_ too much. What made Rei think she'd be able to have the gorgeous, blonde vixen and claim her without being able to give back in return?

* * *

**_Wrrr….._**

She allowed herself to slump against the wall behind her once she heard the elevator doors close and felt it continue on its path towards her floor. She loosened her hands and hunched over slightly as she brought her right hand up to cover her eyes in shame, as if allowing the darkness from it to hide her from the world. Her breathing was shallow as she continued trying to hold back tears. It was Minako who got hurt in all of this. If _anyone_ deserved to shed tears, it was Minako, not her.

Rei was so consumed by her emotions, she didn't notice the sound of soft footsteps walking towards her. She jumped slightly as she felt a warm, protective, orange-gold aura seep into her as a hand caressed her right cheek and turned her head to her left, coaxing it away from the darkness. The scent of strawberries filled her as a pair of soft lips met her own in a gentle kiss.

When the kiss ended, Rei opened her eyes and was met by the most beautiful pair of sapphires she had ever seen that belonged to the most beautiful person she had ever met, "Minako," she breathed. She straightened and quickly enveloped the smaller woman in an embrace, "I…I thought you left me," Rei whispered, her voice wavering, "I thought…I thought I lost you." A rebellious tear she tried so hard to hold back, fell from her eyes.

"No, I'm right here, Rei-chan," Minako said softly in a comforting tone as she returned the embrace, stroking the archer's silky hair. After a moment, she gently broke out of Rei's hold to look at her. Her cerulean eyes saddened when she saw the wet trail on Rei's cheek. She brought a hand up to wipe the tear away with her thumb, "I just went to press the button that closed the door. You couldn't sense me?"

Rei shook her head, "No, sometimes when I get really emotionally charged, it makes it hard to sense things. It's almost like it overrides it to some extent," she explained softly, "I couldn't sense you until you touched me."

"Mmn, I see," Minako nodded. A sad smile came to her lips, "I guess I need to earn your trust too," she said softly, almost to herself. She moved her hand up to brush Rei's bangs out of her eyes, "I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier, Rei-chan. I was really upset, but I meant what I said. This can't work if we're not honest and talk to each other." She pulled Rei into another embrace, enjoying the feeling of being in the taller woman's arms. She smiled gently, "And I _do_ want this to work, whatever _this_ is. I want to discover what this _could_ be _with_ you. Because I l-," Minako stopped herself. Her eyes widened slightly in shock, _Whoa, what the fuck!? __I can't believe I almost said that!_, she thought to herself. She quickly composed herself and cleared her throat, "Like you a lot, Rei-chan."

Rei smirked softly. Minako's hesitation didn't go unnoticed and she could feel her orange-gold aura twitch with surprise and shock. She decided not to push her luck by pressing the matter or teasing Minako about it since she was still thanking Kami-sama that Minako hadn't walked out of her life. She pulled away gently and brought a hand up to caress Minako's cheek, "I like you too, Minako. I really do." Turning serious, her lavender eyes locked onto Minako's cobalt, "I promise I'll be as honest with you as possible about the physical stuff. I might need help processing and working things out, but I'll really try for you. For us."

Minako smiled. Rei was making a promise, which meant she would definitely keep it, "Good." She wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, "Seal the deal with a kiss?" she asked playfully.

Rei chuckled, feeling the tension between them lift dramatically, "Mmn," she replied as she wrapped her arms around Minako's waist. She closed her eyes as she leaned in and brought her lips to Minako's softly, who kissed her back just as sweetly.

* * *

As they continued to kiss, the earlier spark they had between them began to ignite again. The kiss slowly deepened, timidly at first, but soon escalated until they were both panting for air, holding each other desperately close.

Minako pushed her body into Rei's, gently pinning the archer against the elevator wall. The motion brought Rei back to herself and her eyes shot open and she gently pushed Minako away, breaking the kiss, "M-Minako," she panted, her voice carrying a touch of concern, "Just...Just because I said I wanted you, doesn't mean we have to do this."

"What are you saying, Rei-chan?," Minako asked. She smirked slyly, "Are you saying you _don't_ want to continue where we left off?," she asked sensually as she leaned in and licked the corner of Rei's mouth teasingly. She smiled slyly as she felt the taller woman shudder and let out a soft gasp, "Are you saying you _don't_ want to take me...right here...right now?"

"N-No, I...I do," Rei replied, having a little trouble responding due to Minako's action and words. It also didn't help that she could see and feel Minako's aura beginning to take on the form of a low, ominous flame, "I...I just don't want you going along with it _just_ because _I_ want it. It's...It's not fair to you. Especially since I'm not ready to-"

"I know," Minako said softly as she pulled away and silenced Rei gently with a finger, "And that's ok, Rei-chan. Yes, I want you, but I'm ok with waiting until you're ready, whenever that may be." She removed her finger from Rei's alluring lips and leaned in, brushing her cheek against Rei's, "But that _doesn't _mean I'm ok with waiting for you to make me yours," she breathed into her ear.

Rei's breath hitched at Minako's words. She tightened her grip on the smaller woman as she felt an orange-gold, blazing aura beginning to course through her, "Please, Rei-chan," Minako continued, pleading desperately, "I _need_ you. I _want_ you to take me."

"Kami-sama," Rei breathed, "I want you, Minako."

"Tell me what you want to do to me, Rei-chan," Minako whispered seductively.

"Minako," Rei blushed slightly, "I don't even know where to begin."

"Don't be shy, Rei-chan," Minako encouraged softly, "I want to hear what you want to do to me."

"No, that's not what I meant," Rei replied softly. Minako pulled away to look at the archer, noticing the blush that was forming on her cheeks, "I mean, I know _what_ to do, I'm not _totally_ naïve about this stuff, but I...just don't know where to begin. So...," she paused as the blush darkened slightly, "What do you _want_ me to do to you?"

Rei's eyes widened as Minako's aura nearly doubled in intensity. A sly smirk formed on Minako's lips as an idea came to her. Her breath quickened as her hooded, sapphires locking into Rei's amethysts, boring into them with lust, "I want you to use your instincts, Rei-chan," she whispered huskily.

Rei look at Minako quizzically as she watched the smaller woman close her eyes. After a few seconds, a small smile graced Minako's lips as she began moaning softly. Rei could feel Minako's body twitch ever so slightly against her, her aura was flaring violently with every movement. Suddenly, it finally dawned on Rei what Minako was trying to say. Smirking, Rei closed her eyes and focused her abilities on what Minako was envisioning in her mind.

* * *

After a few moments, Rei's eyes shot open. Her heart was racing as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She was panting heavily as if she had forgotten to breathe during that brief period of time. Minako opened her eyes slightly,

"M-Minako," Rei panted as she looking into Minako's burning gaze, "A-Are you sure?"

"Yes," Minako breathed as she nodded to emphasize her point, "I trust you, Rei-chan. I know you won't hurt me."

Rei raised an eyebrow at Minako and smirked, "You're right, you're _not_ as innocent as you look."

"Gods, Rei-chan, just shut up and fuck me already," Minako hissed desperately.

As soon as the words left Minako's mouth, Rei spun them both so Minako was pinned against the wall. She quickly grabbed Minako's wrists and pinned them firmly above her head. Minako gasped loudly with a mix of surprise and erotic excitement.

"Is this what you wanted, Minako?" Rei challenged in a low voice.

"Yes! Gods, yes," Minako gasped, her heart beginning to race.

"'Yes', what, Minako?," Rei challenged as she moved her thigh slowly in between the smaller woman's legs, pressing it against her. Minako moaned at the motion. Her penetrating azure eyes fluttered as she tried to continue watching her beautiful dominator. Seeing Rei's amethyst eyes burning with intensity and desire, Minako knew then that they had started.

"Yes…Rei-sama," Minako breathed.

"That's a good girl," Rei purred in a low, soft voice, almost teasingly.

* * *

**_Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to its final destination, the 25th floor, Rei's floor.

The two women didn't move, chests heaving with anticipation, knowing that once they moved...there was no turning back.

Rei smirked as she leaned closer to Minako's ear, "I can already tell that I'm going to enjoy playing with your aura, Minako," she said in a sensual tone. She tilted her head down slightly to trail her tongue up Minako's neck. She smiled to herself as she heard Minako gasp and saw Minako's aura flare from the sensation. As Rei nipped at her neck, a whimper of pleasure came from the smaller woman while her aura continued to blaze uncontrollably. She chuckled softly as she pulled back to look at the gorgeous blonde, "But I'm _not_ going to take you here."

Minako responded by leaning forward and snapping her teeth at Rei in protest. Her aura flared rebelliously with a passionate and desperate fierceness as if challenging the archer. Rei used her body to push Minako firmly back against the wall, reclaiming her dominance and making Minako moan loudly as her thigh hit its intended target again.

"Ah, ah, aah," Rei tisked as she smirked and shook her head, "My game, my rules. Understand?"

"Yes, Rei-sama," Minako whimpered needily.

"Good," Rei whispered approvingly in a controlled tone as she watched Minako's aura continue to flare but with more submissiveness. She chuckled lowly, "Yep, I'm _really_ going to enjoy this," she said almost to herself, "I don't think you know how much of a pyro I am, Minako, but you're going to find out." She pulled away, leaving Minako aching for her, as she kept Minakos hands firmly in place above her head, "Now, I'm going to let you go so I can pick up my jacket. If you move, everything stops. Is that what you want?"

Minako shook her head quickly, "No, Rei-sama," she panted.

"Good girl," Rei cooed slyly. She released Minako and took a small step back from the smaller woman. She smirked slyly as she watched Minako stay perfectly still other than her chest, which rose and fell heavily with her labored breathing, and her cobalt eyes, which followed Rei's every movement.

Keeping her intense, amethyst eyes locked on Minako's hooded sapphires, Rei slowly knelt down. Once she got to the floor, she reached down with her left hand and grabbed her jacket while her right hand rested gently on the inside of Minako's right ankle. A delightful shudder ran through Minako's body at the contact and Rei licked her lips as she felt Minako's aura, laced with lust and desperate need, flow through her hand. Without breaking their gaze, Rei slowly stood up, bringing the jacket with her while dragging her hand lightly up Minako's leg.

Minako couldn't hold Rei's gaze any longer as her eyes rolled back in her head and she closed them tightly. The sensation from Rei's touch caused an overwhelming throb of anticipation deep inside of her, threatening to cause her collapse. She sucked in air through her gritted teeth, trying her hardest not to move but finding it nearly impossible. She let out a loud gasp as Rei's fingers trailed up the back of her perfectly toned calf, tracing along the inside of her knee, under her skirt, up her smooth inner thigh...

And Minako let out a half groan, half whimper of frustration when Rei's fingers stopped just inches short of where she desperately wanted them to be, "Fuuuuck," Minako whimpered raggedly as her breath quickened. Rei moved closer so that she was only inches from Minako, keeping her hand in place on the inside of her thigh.

"That was very good, Minako," Rei smirked in a low, seductive tone, "For that, you get a reward." She leaned in and pressed her lips against Minako's as her tongue dipping into the smaller woman's panting mouth. Minako's tongue responded with fervor to the kiss, making up for her immobility. Rei dragged her nails gently against Minako's inner thigh as she pulled her hand out from under her skirt, causing Minako to gasp in her mouth and tremble at the sensation. Rei abruptly cut the kiss short before Minako had her fill, chuckling lowly as she pull away. Minako whimpered as her head lolled back against the wall.

"Gods...please, Rei-sama," Minako begged needily as she opened her eyes to take in Rei's image.

"Bring your arms down in front of you, wrists together," Rei commanded in a low, controlled voice.

Minako obeyed, elated that she was being allowed to move again as it meant she was getting closer to what she desired. She would play Rei's game gladly, _perfectly_ even, if it meant getting there faster.

Rei reached around and pulled Minako's hair ribbon until it came loose and freed her golden, silky locks. Draping her jacket over her arm, she took the ribbon in both hands and quickly bound Minako's wrists together firmly. Once she finished with her task, Rei slid her left hand under Minako's right elbow, pulling her towards the door,

"Follow," Rei commanded as she led Minako out of the elevator and towards her room. Before Rei turned to lead the way, Minako caught Rei's lavender eyes and could see an intense excitement in them. Having the knowledge of Rei wanting this just as much as she did only made Minako want it that much more.

As Rei quickly led them both towards her room, her right hand went to retrieve her room key card from her pocket. When they reached room 2525, Rei swiftly swiped the card into the card reader.

_**Shick...Click Click!**_

Once the door unlocked, Rei pushed the door open with more force than necessary, quickly pulling Minako into the room with her.

* * *

**Author Note:** Bonus points if you know who the characters are that were in the elevator with Rei and Minako. Since I'm not explicitly naming them, I think I'm ok getting away with not citing them. But citations for them will appear in A/Ns of Chapter 16 for those who can't guess who they are!

_Fun Fact:_ See A/Ns at the end of Chapter 5 for explanation._  
_

13th Floor - This was covered in the A/N at the end of Chapter 9.

3rd Floor - Cross-dresser and 3rd Celestial Warrior discovered in character's respective anime series. Fights on the side of a certain phoenix god (Bird of the South). The Chinese clothing and bangles might be a hint...

6th Floor - The number for the characters' Riot Force (if that isn't a big enough hint).

Room 2525 - A word most associated with Sailor Venus. In Japanese, the word is 'ai'.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.


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